AACTE Applauds President Biden’s $9 Billion Proposal to Address the Teacher Shortage

(April 28, 2021, Washington, D.C.) – On behalf of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement on President Biden’s American Families Plan:

“President Biden today released the American Families Plan, which includes a transformative investment in our nation’s education system from early childhood through higher education. In addition to calling for free community college and free, universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds, the plan targets a $9 billion investment in teacher education and support.

AACTE has long advocated for such an investment to address growing teacher shortages, reduced enrollment in educator preparation programs, lack of diversity among teacher candidates, and the cost of college for prospective educators. Prior to the pandemic, American schools needed an estimated 100,000 additional certified teachers. Teachers without full qualifications disproportionately serve students of color and students with disabilities, posing a significant equity challenge.

Addressing this crisis in the educator workforce is essential, and President Biden’s proposal offers a robust plan to ensure America’s young people have the qualified teachers they need and deserve. Specifically, his plan calls for:

• Doubling the annual amount of TEACH grants from $4,000 to $8,000 per year
• $2.8 billion for year-long, paid teacher residency programs and Grow Your Own programs
• $400 million for teacher preparation at minority-serving institutions (MSIs)
• $900 million for the preparation of new special educators
• $1.6 billion for educators to obtain additional certifications in high-demand fields such as special education and bilingual education
• $2 billion to support the development of teachers as leaders and high-quality mentorship programs for new teachers and teachers of color

AACTE applauds this robust vision and pledges to work alongside our member institutions with Congress and the Administration to make this proposal a reality. Our students deserve nothing less.”

###
AACTE: The Leading Voice on Educator Preparation 

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs and partners dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are profession-ready as they enter the classroom. Nearly 700 members include public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam. Through advocacy and capacity building, AACTE promotes innovation and effective practices that strengthen educator preparation. Learn more at www.aacte.org.