TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Business Leaders Can Help Solve Teacher Shortage

ADVERTISEMENT

By DWAYNE INGRAM Special to the Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2008

Updated: 05/22/2008 01:11 am

Our communities have a critical shortage of teachers, especially in math and science. More than 2,000 qualified math and science teachers are needed in our K-12 schools just in the 2008-09 school year.

The state's teacher education programs through both public and private colleges and universities will fulfill less than half this number. In 2008, they expect to have only 866 prospective math and science teachers complete their programs. That leaves a huge gap.

Florida must continue to develop its educational system and workforce if we are to remain competitive in the new global economy. Many countries, especially in emerging markets, are expanding commitments to math and science instruction in their schools. They are focusing on increasing the number of students who go into engineering and committing ever-increasing amounts of money to scientific research, infrastructure and talented teachers.

According to the Center for Educational Performance and Accountability at Florida TaxWatch, the best way to increase student achievement in Florida is by investing in quality teachers who directly impact student learning every day. This month a CEPA report says that 85 percent of public school operational expenditures are used for employee salaries and benefits. This sounds great until you keep reading and learn that only 51 percent of these employees are actually classroom teachers.

For Florida to compete successfully, we must commit ourselves to innovation in what we do and how we do it, and motivate our fellow citizens and officials who make the strategic decisions to help fix this problem. Many of Florida's influential organizations - among them the Florida Chamber, Florida Council of 100, Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability, Workforce Florida, Enterprise Florida and many others - have called for the need for additional focus in our educational system. I have witnessed them connect Florida's future with talent. If our future depends on information technology, bioscience, space, and logistics and transportation systems, we must make changes.

So who do we turn to for help? My recommendation is Florida's business community, a global team with a shared emphasis on talent.

IBM has launched the Transition to Teaching program. It provides company-paid tuition, leaves of absence and subsidies for student teaching for employees interested in teaching math and science as a second career.

We are now working with state officials and higher education leaders to help IBM employees get the preparation they need to enter the classroom fully qualified and as quickly as possible to begin working with students.

We believe that we can put substantial numbers of our experienced math and science specialists in K-12 classrooms. Employees nationwide are signing up to take advantage of this program because scientists, mathematicians, and engineers belong in our community classrooms and want to be stewards for the future.

I challenge other Florida companies to take up the effort as well. Baby boomers may very well be one answer to this crisis. We've found that many baby boomers would like to continue working in fields that allow them to give back to their communities. Inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators is one great way to give back. These employees can share their diverse and often global career experience with our students.

For example, if 100 corporations across the country transition 100 employees into teachers, there can be 10,000 new teachers added in to the classroom.

Dwayne Ingram is IBM's senior state executive for Florida.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT