Episode: 374

Episode Title: If Education Quality Drops

As teachers quit and class sizes grow, how can we maintain high-quality education for every student? Let’s talk about this challenge, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 374 show:

You are now in The Perna Syndicate—I’m glad you’re here! This week, we’re sounding the alarm about a huge crisis that’s about to hit the education system. Some organizations are already in the thick of it. This tipping point is simply extreme levels of teacher burnout and severe understaffing—the like of which we’ve never seen.

As current educators flee the profession (and the next generation avoids entering it), class sizes may start skyrocketing. This will create additional strain on the teachers that are still there. Without a healthy student-teacher ratio, the quality of instruction, the individual time spent with each student, and any vestige of a human connection will inevitably suffer. 

The quality of education will also drop if states, desperate to staff their schools, lower the bar for teacher requirements. Such a move could potentially bring into the classroom “teachers” or substitutes who lack the necessary training and skills to teach effectively. 

You can see how this hurts students; they’ll miss out on the full potential of their education. But this also has negative implications for the workforce and economy. 

Today’s students are the future and lifeblood of our nation. If they aren’t equipped to succeed, none of us will in the long term. A lower-quality education is going to set them—and all of us—back. 

Next up, how long before young people give up an education that lacks human connection? Are high school dropout rates going to rise? Let’s talk about it on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. Take care and we’ll see you then.