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Is L.A. Teachers’ Strike a Harbinger of Things to Come?

Is L.A. Teachers’ Strike a Harbinger of Things to Come?

The Los Angeles teachers’ strike earlier this year suggests that the wave of teacher protests is not over.

Teacher strikes and work stoppages have been preceded by a nationwide teacher shortage that continues to grow across many states, which do not have enough certified math, special education, science, and in increasing cases, elementary teachers – to meet the needs of their students.

In California 80 percent of districts reported a teacher shortage in the 2017 to 2018 school year.

Teacher shortages are most often blamed on low teacher pay, one of the commonalities across teacher strikes.  These shortages are arguably exacerbated by an increase in the “teacher pay penalty,” the term used to describe disparities in teacher salary compared to professions requiring comparable levels of education.

At the same time teachers find themselves increasingly undervalued, most states are still funding their public education systems at levels below that of the 2008 recession. This includes California, which is ranked 41st nationwide in per pupil spending when adjusted for cost of living. As long as public schools remain underfunded, the nation can expect to see more teacher strikes in other school districts and states in the near future.

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