Citywide Talent Coalition Takes Action to Tackle the City’s Teacher Shortage
Collective Strategies to Recruit, Develop, and Retain Teachers Aim to Eliminate Vacancies and Strengthen the Teacher Pipeline
Philadelphia, PA – [February 13, 2025] – Today, the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition came together with the Mayor’s Office to announce a bold, coordinated strategy to recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and effective teacher workforce.
Together, we are making Philadelphia attractive to new, diverse, and talented teachers. The impact of our teachers extends far beyond the classroom and they are a vital component of my vision of providing economic opportunity for all Philadelphians. The Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition is investing in proven strategies and forging groundbreaking partnerships to address the current teacher shortage, while building a stronger education system that benefits both students and communities.
The teacher shortage is impacting the country, state, and city. Philadelphia’s nearly 200,000 public district and charter school students are served by over 12,000 teachers. Each year, Philadelphia schools struggle to fill around 2,000 vacancies, with too few candidates to meet demand. Through collaboration and innovative programs, the Coalition is addressing vacancies, strengthening the teacher pipeline, boosting retention, and ensuring Philadelphia schools have the educators needed to drive student success.
A world-class education system starts with a talented, dedicated, and diverse teacher workforce. In Philadelphia, collaboration across sectors is essential to ensuring every classroom has a teacher on day one. The Citywide Talent Coalition is uniting schools, higher education partners, and community organizations to fill vacancies and create lasting conditions that honor the teaching profession to attract and retain educators who are passionate about inspiring the next generation.
A United Approach to Transforming the Teacher Workforce
The Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition brings together over 35 organizations, including district and charter schools, education preparation programs, nonprofits, and city agencies, to create a unified, research-driven approach to tackling the teacher shortage. Elevate 215 serves as the coordinating entity. The Coalition’s ambitious five-year goals include:
- Increasing teacher diversity: Research shows that all students, and particularly students of color, benefit from a diverse teacher workforce. By the 2028-29 school year, the percentage of teachers in Philadelphia who identify as BIPOC will increase from 35.3% to 42%, adding 900 more teachers of color to the workforce.
- Boosting retention: By 2028-29, the city aims to improve the five-year average new teacher retention rate from 79% to 85%, retaining an additional 231 new teachers annually, benefiting over 24,000 students over five years.
A diverse pipeline of effective teachers is essential to ensuring students succeed. Philadelphia’s Talent Coalition is tackling the teacher shortage in ways that align with our state-level priorities. I will continue to advocate for programs that support student teachers, like the student teacher stipend program, on their path to certification.
Strategic Investments Are Driving Progress
The Coalition’s approach focuses on three key areas: Recruitment, Development, and Retention. Programs already making a cross-sector (both district and charter school) impact include:
- Citywide Teacher Recruitment Campaign (TeachPHL) – An outreach and marketing campaign aimed at providing resources to aspiring teachers.
- Early Pipeline Development – Expanding high school Career Technical Education and pre-apprenticeship programs to engage students in the teaching profession early.
- Para-to-Teacher Programs – Supporting paraprofessionals in their path to earning full teaching certifications.
- Teacher Residency Programs – Strengthening hands-on training and mentorship for aspiring teachers via a paid, one-year residency in a Philadelphia school.
- Philadelphia Affinity Group Network – Creating inclusive, supportive, and empowering spaces to improve teacher retention among educators of color.
Transforming the teaching profession in Philadelphia begins with making it clear—through both words and actions—that Philly values its teachers. By working together in partnership, we can enhance and strengthen the District’s efforts to create a culture where teachers want to stay, grow, and make a lasting impact. Let it be known: If you have a passion for education and shaping the next generation, we invite you to join our team.
Thanks to the Talent Coalition, public charter schools of all sizes are able to access resources and support that would otherwise be difficult to obtain on their own. By bringing schools together, sharing best practices, and coordinating citywide strategies, the Coalition is expanding opportunities to recruit, develop, and retain talented educators. This collective effort is helping to build a more sustainable and diverse educator workforce to improve student outcomes.
Will you join us?
The Coalition’s work is made possible through the generous support of The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Spring Point Partners, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and other partners. To learn more about the Coalition’s efforts and available resources for schools and teachers, visit Elevate 215’s website and explore TeachPHL.