HARRISBURG, Pa. — It's a well-known issue in Pennsylvania that students and teachers want solved.
"The shortage that we are facing in our state is significant," said Donna-Marie Cole-Malott, co-executive director of the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium.
At least 8,800 teaching positions were left unfilled or filled temporarily this school year, as the state's teacher shortage goes unsolved.
Students preparing to enter the profession say student teaching, the final hurdle before becoming an educator, creates a financial challenge.
"Once you're really in it, it's like 'Oh man, where is this money coming from?'" said Jaclyn Ohl.
Ohl is preparing to become an elementary school or special education teacher, finishing her senior year at Commonwealth University in Bloomsburg.
She said she has to handle the unpaid full-time student-teacher role and still afford to live.
"We do eventually take over the classroom 40 hours a week, teacher hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then having to go home, complete assignments and then possibly having to work at night and on the weekends," she said. "When do you sleep?"
Ohl and students like her are asking state lawmakers to fund student teacher stipends, a proposal that could give future teachers $10,000.
The state's prolonged teacher shortage may be hurting minority populations the most.
More than half the teaching vacancies in the state are in schools where 80% of those enrolled are students of color.
Less than 7% of Pennsylvania's workforce are teachers of color, a number the Department of Education wants to improve with a $10 million investment in the state's Talent Recruitment Account.
"I am also a Black male that never had a Black male teacher during my entire K-12 experience, so this drives my passion toward this work," said Ray Fields, chief talent officer for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
"When students of color have educators of color, they're more likely to graduate, they're more likely to complete high school, they're more likely to enroll in universities," Cole-Malott added.
Advocates hope those students then consider a career in teaching, helping the next generation find success.