It's a Rap

Becoming a teacher has always been a calling for many but lately, it’s felt more like a financial gamble. Across the country, school districts are struggling with severe teacher shortages, and fewer people are entering the profession. At the same time, the federal government has restarted student loan collections after a five-year pause. For many aspiring educators, these trends collide in a way that feels deeply personal and deeply discouraging.

Student debt isn’t just a line item on a budget. It’s a burden that shapes real choices: Can I afford to go back to school? Can I leave my job to teach? Will I be able to support a family on a teacher’s salary and still pay off my loans?

According to the Learning Policy Institute, more than 60% of full-time public school teachers have taken out student loans. Educators actually borrow at higher rates than their peers in other fields. Among those with education degrees, nearly 76% of both bachelor’s and master’s degree holders carry student debt. Yet teaching remains one of the lowest-paid professions requiring a college degree.

This disconnect is felt most acutely by new teachers and by those trying to enter the profession. One NYS teacher assistant, now working toward her certification through a Registered Apprenticeship program for teachers, put it plainly:

“I would never have been able to pursue a teaching certification through a traditional pathway—I’d have to leave my job, which just isn’t feasible. The apprenticeship allowed me to stay in the classroom while growing into the role of a teacher and working toward my New York State teaching credential.”

NYS needs more opportunities like this one to attract new teachers. The state has focused on some financial initiatives to support teacher candidates, like SUNY’s Apprenticeship Initiative, which offers up to $6,000 in tuition assistance per apprentice. In addition to the SUNY funding that can help support educator apprentices, Governor Hochul has committed to supporting round two of the NYS Department of Labor Teacher Residency Program Grant (TRP), partially or fully funding master’s degrees for teacher residents who are enrolled in a residency program registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

New York is also investing in tuition-free community college for adult learners, ages 25 to 55, in high-need fields, teaching being one of them. These efforts matter, because student debt hits some educators harder than others. Early-career teachers, special education teachers, and Black educators are disproportionately affected. National data shows that about 65% of teachers in their first 10 years have student debt, compared to just 41% of teachers with 30+ years of experience.

The result? Too many promising educators leave before they’re fully seasoned. Too many never enter the profession at all.

We need to change that. Addressing the financial barriers to becoming a teacher is essential if we want to build a stable, and well-prepared educator workforce. Paid apprenticeships, tuition assistance, loan forgiveness, reduced preparation costs, and competitive salaries must become standard, not exceptional.

Debt-free or low-debt pathways like apprenticeships don’t just make financial sense. They honor the value of teaching. They say to aspiring educators: You belong here, we want to invest in you, and you don’t have to go into debt to prove it.