A new report says California faces a dire shortage of schoolteachers as the number of college students in teacher-training programs has dropped by half during the past decade.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Monday released a 96-page report by the Task Force on Educator Excellence, which was formed in January to come up with ways to improve California's teaching work force.
The task force identified six areas to improve teaching.
The report says teacher education is uneven and salaries are highly inequitable, with teachers in the toughest assignments typically earning the least. Mentoring of novice teachers and professional development of more experienced veterans has become rare.
It also says evaluations provide little meaningful feedback and leadership career routes are poor.
