Loan forgiveness program aims to halt ‘silent teacher crisis’

Minnesota is facing a teacher shortage in certain disciplines and subject matters. The effects of which are being felt most in rural school districts.

Greater Minnesota principals have found it particularly difficult to hire newly licensed teachers in subject areas like math, special education and English as a Second Language. Advocates for rural education call the shortage a “silent teacher crisis.”

Rep. Peggy Bennett (R-Albert Lea) hopes to solve that problem.

The recently retired elementary school teacher sponsors HF1170, which would create a college loan forgiveness program intended specifically to lure recent elementary and secondary education college graduates to licensure fields and school districts where the need is greatest.  

“We do need help in recruiting and incentivizing new teachers throughout the state, but especially in rural districts,” said Joe Gould, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Rural Education Association.

The proposed legislation would appropriate funds to the Office of Higher Education to administer the program that would be available for up to five years to newly licensed teachers and teachers adding a licensure field who are teaching in an identified teacher shortage area.

The House Higher Education Policy and Finance Committee approved the bill Tuesday and referred it to the House Education Finance Committee. Its companion, SF769, sponsored by Sen. Vicki Jensen (DFL-Owatonna), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.

Geography, subject areas play a role

Teachers who specialize in emotional behavioral disorders, early childhood special education and English as a Second Language are in highest demand, according to an annual “Minnesota Teacher Supply and Demand” report published by the Department of Education in January. Math, Spanish, physics and chemistry are also subjects that many schools could not fill openings over the last year, the report states.

HF1170 would require the department to annually designate the subject areas and licensure field experiencing teacher shortages. The department, Bennett said, would then communicate those shortage areas to the Office of Higher Education.  A teacher who graduates from an approved teacher preparation program would be eligible to apply for the loan forgiveness program for five consecutive years after graduation.

Education advocates have rallied around the legislation, which has bipartisan support.

In addition to providing incentive for education students to pursue teaching jobs where the need is greatest, the loan forgiveness program “may help us attract and retain a more diverse group of candidates,” said Cindy Cryst, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

It might also help with diversity issues.

The percentage of students of color in the state has risen from 24 percent to 29 percent since 2008, according to the Department of Education report. But currently, less than 4 percent of teachers are persons of color.