HARRISBURG – A bill creating a student teacher stipend program has been referred to the PA Senate Education Committee. Currently, student teachers are unpaid for their required student teaching. Traditionally, a person participating in student teaching either must quit their job or work an additional job after spending the entire day teaching. Many school districts, who have a need for teachers, fill teaching vacancies from the pool of student teachers who taught in that district. Senate Bill 300 creates a program within PHEAA to provide stipends for students enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a PA institution of higher education to complete their student teaching requirement. If approved, PA would join several other states that provide student teacher stipends for aspiring educators.
