Louisiana, like much of the country, is struggling through what is possibly the worst teacher shortage in history. Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) will discuss how we got to this point and explore solutions on Louisiana Spotlight: The Value of a Teacher, premiering Monday, November 7^th at 8:00 PM on LPB and Wednesday, November 9^th at 8:00pm on WLAE-TV in New Orleans. Streaming will be concurrent with the premiere at www.lpb.org/louisianaspotlight and with the LPB App.

With the help of a diverse panel of educators, as well as future educators, LPB will explore the reasons behind the crisis. Experts cite low wages, school safety concerns, and growing inflation as key factors, but point to how society views and values the teaching profession as a root cause. What changes need to be made for Louisiana to attract and retain teachers, as well as promote the teaching profession to younger generations?

Led by Kara St. Cyr, co-host of LPB’s weekly news magazine, Louisiana: The State We’re In, LPB will explore the causes and solutions to our teacher shortage. Helping us will be:

• Barry Erwin – President & CEO, Council for A Better Louisiana
• Henderson Lewis, Ph.D. – Assist. Prof. Educational Leadership, LSU School of Education
• Janae Montgomery – Paraprofessional, West Baton Rouge Schools
• Jamie Wong - Founder, SPED Strategies
• Micah Allen – Student, LSU School of Education
• John Foster Benoit – Student, Brusly High & Member, Educators Rising
• Kamryn Stewart – Student, LSU School of Education

Viewers have multiple options to stream Louisiana Spotlight: The Value of a Teacher. On the night of its broadcast premiere, the program will also be available online at www.lpb.org, on the LPB YouTube channel, and with the LPB App. Go to www.lpb.org/louisianaspotlight for more details on this program, as well as past episodes of Louisiana Spotlight.

Our Host & Panelists: