NJACTE Officers Appointed to Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages
Stacey Leftwich (left) and Amy Kline (right) of the New Jersey Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (NJACTE).
Stacey Leftwich, president, and Amy Kline, treasurer/president-elect, of the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NJACTE) were appointed to Governor Phil Murphy’s newly established Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages. Created under Executive Order No. 309, the task force is part of Governor Murphy’s efforts to address ongoing school staff shortages and will be charged to develop short and long-term recommendations to increase the number of K-12 school staff — including teachers and support staff — in the State of New Jersey.
“The Task Force is definitely a step in the right direction. Convening a diverse group of educators to address the increasing challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers is important work. I am happy and excited to be part of this team of professionals to help make recommendations to Governor Murphy,” said Leftwich. “Teaching is such an important profession, and I am hopeful that the Task Force’s recommendations will not only address the teacher shortage, but keep teachers in the classroom so our young learners will continue to grow socially, emotionally and academically.”
The task force, chaired by the chief policy advisor to the governor, will be comprised of no more than 25 members including the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education, school administrators, superintendents who represent a separate and distinct sector of the diverse student population across New Jersey, school board representatives, various education-related associations representatives, and members appointed upon the recommendation of legislative leaders. The Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages in New Jersey will have until January 31, 2023 to provide their initial recommendations to the governor.
“I am honored to be selected to be part of this vital initiative. I am deeply appreciative of Governor Murphy’s commitment to understanding and addressing the teacher shortages affecting our students,” said Kline. I look forward to working with the other educational leaders and experts in the task force to develop actionable steps to improve the State’s dire need for teachers and other educational support staff.”
Leftwich is the executive director for the Office of Educator Support and Partnerships at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She served as a board member of the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) and was instrumental in establishing the New Jersey Collaboration and Partnerships Schools , an affiliate of NAPDS.
In addition to her leadership role in the NJACTE, Kline is associate dean of assessment and accreditation for the College of Education and Human Services at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. For the past two years, Kline has also served as program chair for the American Education Research Association Special Interest Group on Accreditation, Assessment & Program Evaluation in Educator Preparation.
Tags: shortage, state affiliate
