Strengthen and Diversify the Educator Workforce
Advance policies, partnerships, and practices that recruit, prepare, retain, support, and advance a diverse and sustainable educator workforce, particularly educators of color, through workforce development, leadership cultivation, wellness, regional collaboration, and systems change.
Strategic Narrative
Pennsylvania stands at a critical crossroads in the future of its educator workforce. Persistent teacher shortages, declining enrollment in educator preparation programs, high rates of educator turnover, and the underrepresentation of educators of color continue to threaten educational opportunity and student success across the Commonwealth. At the same time, Pennsylvania's student population is becoming increasingly diverse while the educator workforce remains disproportionately White, creating significant gaps in representation, cultural responsiveness, and equitable educational experiences.
These workforce challenges exist within a broader context of educational inequity. The 2023 Commonwealth Court decision in William Penn School District et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education et al. reinforced what educators, families, and communities have long known: equitable educational opportunity remains unevenly distributed across the state. Schools serving historically marginalized communities often face the greatest challenges in recruiting, supporting, and retaining high-quality educators while simultaneously navigating resource disparities, workforce instability, and increasing student needs.
Compounding these challenges are growing national attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and culturally relevant and sustaining educational practices. Efforts to limit conversations about race, identity, history, and belonging create additional barriers for educators and undermine efforts to build inclusive, representative, and affirming learning environments for students.
PEDC believes these challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive, coordinated solutions. Strengthening the educator workforce requires more than recruitment alone. Sustainable change demands investment across the entire educator continuum—from early exposure and pathway development to preparation, induction, retention, leadership development, advancement, and long-term career sustainability. It also requires addressing systemic barriers that disproportionately impact educators of color and creating conditions where all educators can thrive professionally and personally.
As Pennsylvania's statewide collective impact organization focused on educator diversity and culturally relevant and sustaining education, PEDC is uniquely positioned to convene stakeholders, leverage partnerships, influence policy, generate research, and mobilize collective action. Through strategic investments in workforce development, educator wellness, leadership cultivation, regional collaboration, and systems change, PEDC will help create a stronger, more diverse, and more sustainable educator workforce capable of meeting the needs of Pennsylvania's learners today and into the future.
By 2030, PEDC seeks not only to strengthen educator pathways and workforce sustainability but also to work toward transforming the systems, policies, and practices that shape who enters, remains, and thrives within the profession.
Strengthening the educator workforce requires more than recruitment alone. Sustainable change demands investment across the entire educator continuum.
2030 Future State and Success Indicators
Future State
By June 2030, Pennsylvania has a stronger, more diverse, and more sustainable educator workforce supported by coordinated pathways, innovative partnerships, equitable policies, and comprehensive educator supports. Educators across the Commonwealth experience greater access to recruitment, preparation, retention, leadership development, and advancement opportunities that strengthen long-term career success and workforce sustainability.
PEDC is recognized as the leading statewide convener, thought leader, and catalyst for educator workforce diversity and sustainability. Through strategic partnerships, regional hubs, policy leadership, research, and professional learning, PEDC has helped create systems that increase educator diversity, improve retention, strengthen educator well-being, and expand equitable opportunities for educators and students alike.
Educator Recruitment and Workforce Development
- Increase the number of educators entering workforce pathways annually.
- Expand educator diversity recruitment efforts statewide.
- Increase participation in educator preparation and pathway programs.
- Strengthen educator advancement opportunities across the career continuum.
Educator Retention and Sustainability
- Increase educator retention among participating institutions and districts.
- Increase educator perceptions of belonging, support, and career sustainability.
- Expand educator wellness and workforce sustainability initiatives.
- Increase participation in mentoring, coaching, and leadership development programs.
Policy and Systems Change
- Advance policy recommendations that remove barriers to educator recruitment and retention.
- Increase adoption of educator diversity and retention strategies statewide.
- Strengthen statewide collaboration among educational stakeholders.
- Influence state-level workforce policies and practices.
Regional Impact and Collective Action
- Expand regional workforce initiatives through PEDC's hub structure.
- Increase regional participation and engagement annually.
- Strengthen local partnerships and collaborative action efforts.
- Increase access to workforce development opportunities statewide.
Professional Infrastructure
- Expand educator membership and engagement across the Commonwealth.
- Increase access to professional supports, leadership opportunities, and networking experiences.
- Strengthen educator-to-educator connections and learning communities.
- Build sustainable systems that support educators throughout their careers.
Leadership and Accountability
- Executive Directors
- Regional Coordinators
- Director of Research
- Workforce Development Strategist (when established)
- Managing Director of Programs (when established)
- Policy and Advocacy Expert (when established)
- CRSE Leadership Institute Team
- Director of Communications and Public Engagement (when established)
- Administrative Coordinator(s)
- Administrative Project Support
- School Districts
- Intermediate Units
- Institutions of Higher Education
- Community-Based Organizations
- State Agencies
- Educator Preparation Programs
- Professional Associations
- Workforce Development Partners
- Educators and Educational Leaders
- Program Committee
- Policy and Advocacy Committee
- Research and Impact Committee
Strategic Objectives and Three-Year Plan
Strengthen and Diversify Educator Pathways that Recruit, Prepare, Retain, and Advance Educators Across Pennsylvania
PEDC will strengthen educator pathways across the career continuum by expanding recruitment initiatives, preparation partnerships, leadership development opportunities, and workforce advancement supports that increase access and opportunity for aspiring and current educators.
Key Actions and Measures of Progress
- Assess and map existing educator pathways statewide.
- Strengthen partnerships with educator preparation programs and districts.
- Develop targeted recruitment strategies focused on educator diversity.
- Expand pathway partnerships and recruitment initiatives.
- Increase educator participation in pathway programs.
- Expand leadership development and advancement opportunities.
- Scale successful pathway models across regions.
- Institutionalize sustainable pathway networks.
- Evaluate and refine pathway effectiveness and outcomes.
Measures of Progress
- Increase participation in educator pathways annually.
- Increase recruitment of aspiring educators of color.
- Strengthen educator preparation partnerships statewide.
- Expand educator advancement opportunities.
Increase Educator Well-Being, Belonging, Leadership Capacity, and Long-Term Success in the Profession
PEDC will support educator retention and sustainability by creating opportunities for wellness, belonging, mentoring, leadership development, professional growth, and community connection.
Key Actions and Measures of Progress
- Launch educator wellness and belonging initiatives.
- Develop retention-focused communities of practice.
- Assess educator needs and barriers to retention.
- Expand mentoring, coaching, and leadership development opportunities.
- Increase educator engagement and leadership participation.
- Strengthen educator support networks.
- Institutionalize educator sustainability supports.
- Scale successful retention and wellness models statewide.
- Refine retention strategies based on outcomes and learning.
Measures of Progress
- Increase educator retention indicators.
- Increase educator wellness and belonging measures.
- Expand participation in mentoring and leadership initiatives.
- Increase educator satisfaction and engagement.
Establish and Strengthen PEDC's Professional Infrastructure to Advance Educator Workforce Diversity, Sustainability, and Systems Change
PEDC will develop a sustainable professional infrastructure that connects educators to resources, learning opportunities, leadership pathways, professional networks, and workforce supports while advancing policies, partnerships, research, and collective action that strengthen educator recruitment, retention, diversity, preparation, certification, and advancement across Pennsylvania and beyond.
Key Actions and Measures of Progress
- Design and launch a statewide educator membership and engagement framework.
- Develop professional resources, communication, and support systems that connect educators across the continuum.
- Establish workforce policy priorities, stakeholder partnerships, and a research agenda.
- Expand educator learning communities, networking opportunities, and leadership pathways.
- Strengthen educator-to-educator collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth opportunities.
- Advance advocacy efforts and disseminate research, policy recommendations, and promising practices.
- Establish a comprehensive educator support ecosystem that strengthens long-term workforce sustainability.
- Scale educator engagement, membership initiatives, and statewide support networks.
- Strengthen policy influence, expand adoption of workforce solutions, and evaluate systems-level impact.
Measures of Progress
- Increase educator membership, engagement, and participation across PEDC's professional infrastructure and statewide networks.
- Strengthen educator connectivity, leadership development, collaboration, and access to professional supports.
- Advance workforce policies, partnerships, and evidence-based solutions that strengthen educator workforce diversity and sustainability statewide.
Leverage Research, Regional Hubs, and Collective Action to Expand Educator Workforce Development and Support Statewide
PEDC will utilize its regional hub model, research agenda, and collective impact framework to strengthen local innovation, increase access to resources, and build statewide momentum for workforce development efforts.
Key Actions and Measures of Progress
- Strengthen regional hub infrastructure and partnerships.
- Develop workforce research priorities and data collection strategies.
- Increase participation in regional activities.
- Expand regional programming and engagement.
- Disseminate research findings and promising practices.
- Strengthen cross-regional collaboration.
- Scale regional innovations statewide.
- Establish statewide learning networks and collaborative action initiatives.
- Institutionalize regional learning and support systems.
Measures of Progress
- Increase participation and engagement in regional workforce development initiatives across Pennsylvania.
- Strengthen regional collaboration, innovation, and collective action among educators, institutions, and partners.
- Expand the dissemination and utilization of research, resources, and workforce development opportunities statewide.
Innovation Horizon: Looking Beyond 2030
Statewide Educator Leadership Network
Create a statewide network of educators, leaders, and advocates working collectively to strengthen workforce sustainability and educational equity.
Educator Wellness and Retention Institute
Develop a statewide center focused on educator well-being, workforce sustainability, and retention innovation.
Grow Your Own and Community Pathway Expansion
Strengthen community-based educator pathways that engage students, paraprofessionals, families, and community members in the profession.
Educator Leadership Fellowships
Launch leadership development fellowships that prepare educators to serve as advocates, mentors, policy leaders, and systems change agents.
Workforce Data, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence
Leverage data systems, technology, and artificial intelligence to improve workforce planning, educator supports, retention strategies, and statewide collaboration.
National Leadership and Influence
Position PEDC as a national leader in educator workforce diversity by integrating retention, health and wellness, and sustainability through research, partnerships, policy leadership, and thought leadership.