Everything from signing bonuses, tuition reimbursements and loan forgiveness to lifting residency requirements and importing teachers from foreign places. Throwing in other incentives, like mortgage programs and reducing teacher retirement contributions, would also help spice up the district's soup of opportunity. The school district, in collaboration with the state, must do all within its means to secure enough competent teachers to work in its public schools. There is no single solution to the current teacher shortage. In fact, the success of one strategy inherently depends on the aggressive implementation of other approaches.
None are mutually exclusive.
All have the potential to make Philadelphia a more attractive place to teach. Let's start cooking and cultivating. Dwight Evans is a state representative from Philadelphia. If you experience any problems with the Daily News Web site, please let us know. Include the date and time of the problem and a brief description.