Bishop interviewed for Kennebec Journal story on teacher shortages
College of Education and Human Development dean Penny Bishop discussed teacher shortages in a recent Kennebec Journal article. Bishop described the issues facing the education profession since COVID-19 as “the perfect storm.” She said the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing, longer term issues related to support for teachers and teacher education programs. “It’s a wonderful and noble profession and there is nothing like it — it enables every other profession, but society doesn’t value it as important as other professions,” she said. Bishop said even before the pandemic, nationwide enrollment in teacher preparation programs was down 30%. She said it hasn’t been as severe in Maine or New England, but it has become “more pervasive” due to the pandemic.