Press Releases
04/28/2021
CSDE: “The Future Depends on Teachers” PSA Launched to Celebrate Teachers and Inspire More Diversity in Connecticut’s Educator Workforce
(Hartford) - The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is excited to announce the launch of TEACH Connecticut’s new “The Future Depends on Teachers” PSA campaign in advance of Teacher Appreciation Week. The campaign celebrates the profession’s integral role in the nation’s recovery and its lasting legacy on shaping future generations, and aims to inspire talented, diverse candidates to become educators.
TEACH Connecticut, in partnership with CSDE, is the first statewide support initiative of its kind in the nation and serves as a one-stop shop for free, valuable tools and resources to help anyone who is considering becoming a teacher. There is a wide range of evidence to support the benefits of a diverse teacher workforce, including its positive impact on strengthening schools and resulting in better outcomes for students of all races/ethnicities, such as reduced dropout rates, improved college admissions, and achievement gains.
“The Future Depends on Teachers” will air on TV and radio to inspire future teachers to explore the profession, celebrate the hard work of current teachers, and elevate the teaching profession among the general public.
“We need to inspire the next generation to teach by elevating the profession so we can fill shortage areas while recruiting and retaining an educator workforce that mirrors the diversity of our students. We are excited about the impact this PSA campaign will have on ensuring the most effective educators are in every school and classroom, especially at a time when they are needed more than ever,” said CSDE Chief Talent Officer Shuana Tucker.
As Connecticut continues to address persistent shortage areas and make progress on increasing the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of its educator workforce, TEACH Connecticut is reinforcing the state’s work of diminishing the gap between teachers and students of color, and supplementing efforts around filling vacancies in persistent certification shortage areas such as math, science, bilingual and special education.
Since this initiative was launched in 2018, it has resulted in 400 Educator Preparation Program applicants, of which 45 percent are people of color and 48 percent are pursuing certification in subject shortage areas. Of the TEACH Connecticut supported applicants already certified and employed, 42 percent are educators of color and 53 percent work in high-needs districts.
Viewers who visit TEACHConnecticut.org will be automatically directed to the TEACH Connecticut initiative page, where they can explore teaching in the state; sign up for 1:1 coaching from experienced teachers; and find certification guides, ways to compare preparation programs, and more free tools and resources. Financial support for TEACH Connecticut is presently provided by the Peter & Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation.
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Contact: Melissa Galloway, TEACH.org
Email: melissa@teach.org
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