FOLSOM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PowerSchool announced today The PowerSchool Education Fund to help address the critical national teacher shortage and diversity gap. According to the Economic Policy Institute, by 2024, the U.S. public school system will be short 200,000 teachers. And, as stated by the National Bureau of Economic Research, individuals from minority groups represent only 20 percent of the population of teachers. The PowerSchool Education Fund aims to address this problem head on by partnering with universities across the U.S. to help reduce the barriers for education students to enter the teaching profession. Starting with a $1 million donation connected with PowerSchool’s IPO, the fund aims to provide over 2,500 education students from diverse backgrounds with financial support to cover their teacher certification.
“We have always understood how important educators are and the crucial role they play in our day-to-day lives and that of our future generations. However, data suggests that the U.S. public school system is facing a critical need to recruit and retain teachers and even further, minority teachers,” said Hardeep Gulati, PowerSchool CEO. “As the national teacher shortage continues, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, certification fees should not create barriers or place additional burden on anyone wanting to join the teaching profession. We’re proud to give back to our communities and help support a quality and equitable education for all.”
The University of California, Davis’ School of Education has agreed to be the first partner university because of their commitment to transforming education and eliminating inequalities in schooling.
“The cost of earning a teaching credential can be a high barrier for students who want to become teachers, especially those who are first generation or come from underserved communities,” said the School of Education’s Dean Lauren Lindstrom. “In the process of earning a credential, students pay for multiple tests, background checks, application fees and of course, tuition, which all add up to thousands of dollars before they receive their first paycheck. We’re proud to partner with The PowerSchool Education Fund to help reduce some of the hidden costly barriers and make an impact by supporting the next generation of educators.”
More information about The PowerSchool Education Fund will be provided at www.powerschool.com as it becomes available. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email EducationFund@powerschool.com.
About PowerSchool
PowerSchool is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 45 million students globally and more than 12,000 customers, including 93 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in over 90 countries.
