You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Messer and Bloomberg Quick Takes Tim Stinovic on Bloomberg Radio. Lots of news coverage over the weekend about the teacher shortage in the United States. Bloomberg, by the way, reporting that US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging states to use federal stimulus money to tackle a national teacher shortage that's prompted some districts to shortened school weeks in the upcoming year. So it's a tough spot for many school systems around
the country. Dr Liz brook is Chief Learning Officer at Lexia Learning. They focus on literacy learning, and she is with us once again on the phone from Boston. Dr Brooke, nice to have you back on Bloomberg. You know, we last talked about a year ago. All this past week and I kept hearing or reading about the shortage of teachers in the United States. What are you seeing and hearing about this specifically? Yes, thanks so much for having
me back on UM. We recently did a pole Or survey with Harris of over a thousand parents across the country, and seventy six percent of parents are most concerned about the national teacher shortage, So we're absolutely hearing what you're hearing. In fact, when we asked about the top concerns, we thought it might be unfinished learning, but that really came in eighth on the list. So the teacher shortage is definitely top of mind for parents out there. And how
does the shortage get better? I mean, how do you attract teachers or is this more about retention? I imagine the two go hand in hand. Absolutely. I think the first thing that most people turn to, which is pay, and absolutely our our teachers deserve UM the pay for the jobs that they're doing. But it's also about UM making sure that the teachers we have feel supported. And when we think about the research out there, we know that teachers are one of the most critical aspects of
a child success. So making sure that one they understand that they have the support to get the skills needed, so professional learning. For example, there's been a lot in the press around teaching reading and the science of reading, so making sure they feel equipped with that knowledge as well as making sure that they feel like they have
a void. And what's happening in the schools and I feel like we have to address to the elephant in the teacher's living room, and that is the starting salary for teachers in the US Bloomberg put out earlier this year averaged seventy dollars for one school year. That's a four percent decrease from the prior year when adjusted for inflation. I mean, and I want to get into more specifically the work you guys do to help teachers and assist them and how important it is when it comes to
um literacy and reading. But what's the role of compensation do you think, especially in a tight labor market where teachers could go elsewhere if they want, why don't we value to teachers more? Right, that's a great question. I know I started my career as the first grade teacher as well, and um, it is absolutely um something that we need to address. We need to compensate them more.
But again, most folks don't go into teaching for the money, although I will say they definitely that is something that we need to think about. But it's about empowering them and giving them autonomy and the support they need to reach their students in the classroom. But absolutely, compensation is
something we need to consider as well. It's a one to punch really, and you have mentioned that UM, you know, you were surprised to see fears about learning loss, for example, farther down on the list than compared to prior years. What were some of the other surprising findings that stuck out to you? Sure? So one of the things that was surprising that UM, seventy son of the parents felt that their students were going to start this year UM
on or above grade level. However percent felt that they were still experiencing that pandemic related learning laws and forty percent of them wanted more one on one time with the teachers. So there was a little bit of UM teachers or sorry parents feeling optimistic coming into the school year, but still feeling like they needed that one on one time UM with teachers to try to make up from
that pandemic related learning law. So what do we then, based on kind of your findings, what's on the mind of parents, and what you're hearing from the educational community about things that we can anticipate for students and trends when it comes to school year. So one of the biggest things we know is that students are going to need personalized learning, and that's why these parents are thinking about one on one time, right, It's you can't teach
to the group. You need to really address personalized skills. And so that's where making sure that teachers understand how to do that by understanding the why of teaching reading through that science of reading professional learning. One of the things we offer is letters professional Learning that several states have adopted. But then also making sure they have programs in the classroom that can help them personalize that instruction.
And one way to do that is by leveraging technology to personalize that instruction when they're not able to be with the teacher. Alright, we're gonna leave it on that note. Um, certainly something it's very relevant as we get ready and already kids are heading back to school around the United States. Dr Liz Brooke, Chief Learning Officer Alexia Learning, joining us on the phone from Boston.