Bipartisan bill proposes student teacher stipends to combat teacher shortage in Minnesota

Caitlin Efta's path to becoming a teacher began with helping her younger siblings with homework, navigating their daily hurdles and cheering them on from the front row at all of their sporting events.

This passion led her to pursue a career in teaching when she left for college. But the journey hasn't been easy. The financial burden of unpaid teaching experiences, often far from home, has forced Efta and many of her peers to question their fate as educators.

"It's just a lot of hard work, a lot of late nights and long hours," said Efta, a 22-year-old senior majoring in integrated elementary and special education at the University of Minnesota Duluth. "There are a lot of people in my major who are dropping out, switching majors or leaving the career entirely, because once we get to this point, a lot of people can't handle the financial burden."

https://www.startribune.com/bipartisan-bill-proposes-student-teacher-stipends-to-combat-teacher-shortage-in-minnesota/600362698/