Education Committee discussion addresses educator workforce concerns
Northeast Delegation May 5, 2026
HARRISBURG, May 5 – Increasing challenges, demands and risks placed on educators are among the issues impacting the educator workforce according to testimony from a House Education Committee informational meeting.
“As Pennsylvania continues to take steps to address teacher shortages, it is equally important to understand the issues behind the difficulty for schools to recruit and retain qualified educators in their classrooms,” said Rep. Peter Schweyer, Majority Chair of the House Education Committee. “Today’s discussion brought experts from both educator and school administrator backgrounds to the table to find out where we can provide better legislative support for our schools and more importantly for our students.”
Tuesday’s informational meeting focused on the current education environment and issues impacting teachers and educators across Pennsylvania. The informational meeting featured testimony from:
- Mr. Aaron Chapin, President – Pennsylvania State Education Association
- Ms. Jill Weller-Reilly, Teach Plus Senior Policy Fellow – Central Bucks School District
- Dr. Ciminy St. Clair, Teach Plus Senior Policy Fellow – Norwin Area School District
- Dr. Sherri Smith, Executive Director – Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators
- Mr. Brian Pawling, President – Pennsylvania Assoc. of School Business Officials, Director of Business Administration – Radnor Twp. School District
“Schools are facing ongoing gaps in properly certified teachers, paraprofessionals, personal care aides and specialized staff, driven in part by low pay, limited benefits and higher turnover,” said Aaron Chapin, President – Pennsylvania State Education Association. “Existing staff are frequently pulled from their assigned roles to fill immediate needs, leaving critical gaps elsewhere. As a result, many schools are struggling to meeting IEP requirements, maintain appropriate supervision or provide consistent support to students with complex needs.”
“Without sustained and creative action, both short-term and long-term, these workforce challenges will persist,” said Dr. Sherri Smith, Executive Director – Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. “Vacancies span multiple certification areas, often requiring schools to rely on emergency-certified staff. These challenges disproportionately affect districts with fewer financial resources to offer competitive salaries and strong working conditions.”
Tuesday’s informational meeting can be viewed here. Testimony submitted for Tuesday’s informational meeting can be found here.
Additional information about this and other House Education Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/educationcommittee.