Tax reform, not tax credits, will grow Pennsylvania’s economy

Originally published in The Mercury

Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Evaluation and Education Policy Analysis made headlines with this key finding: 7.7 percent of all Pennsylvania teachers, the “largest” number on record, quit the commonwealth’s classrooms in the past year. According to the center’s recent study, 9,587 teachers left, an increase of nearly 43 percent since 2021.

Moreover, Pennsylvania Department of Education data show new teacher certifications in 2021–22 hit record lows. As such, teacher shortage worries permeate public policy discussions.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal, released in March, includes relief for teachers and other high-demand professions. His plan is a tax credit of up to $2,500 annually for newly certified teachers, nurses, and police officers in the first three years following their certification.

Read more in The Mercury