Tackling the Teacher Shortage

The ninth Best of Both Worlds symposium, hosted in November, brought together education leaders and community partners across the region to address the ongoing teacher shortage in Texas. Many districts continue to face rising vacancy rates and post-pandemic attrition, prompting urgent discussions about strengthening the educator pipeline. 

Moderated by Drs. Lawrence Scott and W. Sean Kearney, with planning support from Dr. Elisabeth Krimbill, the panel featured K–12 principals and regional leaders who examined the root causes of the teacher shortage and shared actionable strategies to support recruitment and retention. 

The symposium is part of the College of Education and Human Development’s annual series focusing on critical issues impacting the region. This year’s event aligned with the University’s launch of the Texas Teacher Residency Preparation Route (TTRPR)—a yearlong program providing hands-on classroom experience, mentorship, integrated coursework, and an Enhanced Standard Certificate from the Texas Education Agency.