While the student population increases by 100,000 per year, a mandate for smaller classrooms has created a serious teacher shortage throughout the state. Within the next decade, an estimated 300,000 new teachers be required to meet the demand. Meanwhile, older teachers are projected to begin retiring in large numbers. According to a 1997 report in the Wall street Journal, almost one third of all U.S. teachers had, at the time, been in the profession for more than 20 years. As a result of these various factors, credentialed teachers are at a premium.
Many school districts are so desperate to fill positions that they have waived full certification.
To date, an estimated 35,000 teachers statewide have been issued emergency credentials. According to a recent report by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, National University prepares and recommends more individuals for Single Subject, Multiple Subject, and Special Education Teaching Credentials than any other single California institution of higher education. The university was founded in San Diego in 1971 to make lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging and relevant to a diverse population of adult learners. With more than 25,000 students enrolled, NU is the second largest private university in California in terms of combined graduate and undergraduate enrollment. There are almost 88,000 NU alumni.