There’s no denying it: Connecticut’s public schools are facing a serious crisis.

According to the Connecticut Education Association (CEA), 98 percent of teachers say stress and burnout are a top concern. Nearly three-quarters of educators report they are “more likely to retire or leave the profession early.” At the same time, the state’s Department of Education lists 11 critical shortage areas, ranging from math and science to special education and bilingual education. 

I’m an education and government double major, a junior at Connecticut College, and increasingly, I worry whether Connecticut, where I currently live and study, is a place where someone like me can build a sustainable career. I’ve invested time into research and looking into ways I can better the education system, not just as a student, but as someone who cares deeply about the future of public education. 

Through many conversations with my fellow education major peers, I’ve seen a pattern emerge: teachers are underpaid, overworked, and unsupported. They burn out, leave, and discourage others, like me, from entering the profession.

So why Connecticut? On the policy front, Connecticut offers promising programs: alternate certification routes, “grow-your-own” and apprenticeship initiatives, and even a two-year induction and mentoring program for new teachers.

But these supports are not enough to counteract the deep frustration and exhaustion that survey after survey documents. In fact, the CEA survey found that 70 percent of teachers in Connecticut would discourage friends or family from becoming educators, citing lack of respect, poor working conditions, and low pay.

One way that I wanted to look into this was to compare it to Massachusetts, which is where I am from. Massachusetts, like many other states, experiences teacher shortages. However, they are also taking many strides to work towards finding a solution.

According to the Education Commissions of the State (ECS), Massachusetts has established a registered teacher apprenticeship program supported by competitive grants. These programs allow future teachers to gain paid, on-the-job experience while pursuing licensure which is a very powerful retention tool. Massachusetts also guarantees a minimum salary for teachers by statute.

Pay is a very large reason for teachers leaving the profession. In Massachusetts, the average starting salary is $52,616 and makes it way up to an average of $92,076 which is 3rd in the nation. In Connecticut, the average starting salary is $49,860 and makes it way up to an average of $86,511. This does not seem like a large gap, but if you look at the minimum living wage in Massachusetts, it is $79,117, whereas in Connecticut, it is $90,897. Teachers in Massachusetts are able to sustain and make over the minimum living wage, whereas you cannot in Connecticut, creating the issue of teaching not being a sustainable career. On top of that, Massachusetts offers $5,000 annual bonuses for teachers who earn National Board Certification which Connecticut does not do. Connecticut’s financial incentives are more limited, meaning the pressure and burnout begin well before, and outlast that induction period.

Yes, there are trade-offs. Some might argue that raising salaries or offering bonuses could divert money from other school needs. Others worry about hiring “unqualified” or less-experienced individuals in alternative routes. Those are valid concerns. But the alternative — empty classrooms, frustrated students, and burned-out teachers — is far costlier. When teachers don’t feel supported, the pipeline dries up and everyone involved is impacted.

Districts across Connecticut are struggling, though not equally. Alliance districts, which are school districts with among the lowest accountability index measures in the state meaning those with the greatest need, report some of the most severe shortages.

This comparison may feel like a friendly rivalry between New England states, but it’s more than that, it’s a wake-up call about one of the most important institutions in the country. One that allows the next generations to continue to strive towards their dreams, work hard, and continue following their curiosity and passions.

So why should policymakers, parents, and taxpayers care? Because teacher retention isn’t just about saving on hiring costs: it’s about consistency and quality in the classroom. When students have a revolving door of teachers, instruction suffers; when experienced educators leave: institutional knowledge, how to teach in a district, how to support new teachers, is lost. Connecticut’s schools have the talent, ambition, and programs to improve.

We need systemic changes: a raise in base pay, reduction of non-teaching duties and administrative burden, more planning time, and greater mental-health support. Let’s compete not just in test scores or college readiness, but in how we care for the people who make education possible.

Whatever bipartisan tensions we face, we can come together on this. Invest in our teachers. Make teaching a viable, respected, long-term career. Because if we don’t, we’ll be the ones running out of teachers, and we’ll be paying for it in more ways than one.

Caroline Graziani is a junior at Connecticut College, majoring in government and education.