Starting in the early years and continuing through 12th grade, it's often the school librarian students know best - seeking them out for help with everything from science fair projects to college applications. The digital revolution not only altered the librarian's role, but also the entire library system.
Becky Calzada, president-elect of the American Association of School Librarians and the library coordinator for the Leander Independent School District, said librarians work in the "schools' largest classroom" - and much of what they do is never seen by the public.
"We aren't just about kids checking out books. We provide spaces for kids to work, we provide resources such as technology - our school district recently had a bond package pass and so, every school library has a 3D printer that a student can have access to," she said.
Calzada believes creating access to technology for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds levels the playing field as they move toward graduation and seek employment, and added beyond books, what are now school library "media centers" feature computer resources that enable children to engage with a wide variety of information.
Most school librarians have masters' degrees in library and information science, allowing them to help students become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers and researchers. They also collaborate and co-teach with classroom teachers and keep up with new technology which, Calzada explained, is no easy feat.
"We are living in just a massive information age, and searching - it can be a very overwhelming experience - it's like finding the needle in the haystack, right? That person more than likely knows exactly where to go, because that's part of their training," she said.
From information literacy training to building infrastructure and outreach, she says librarians can be the "unsung heroes" in a school system. At the same time, one study shows there were 20% fewer school librarians in the school year 2019-2020 than ten years earlier.
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A program is Idaho is aiming to close the teacher shortage gap by training people where they live.
Idaho State University's Paraprofessional to Certified Teacher Program trains assistants, or paraprofessionals, who are already in the classroom to earn bachelor's degrees and become teachers. The course takes place online, so students can be anywhere in the state.
Cory Bennett, chair of teaching and educational studies at Idaho State, said the program's flexibility is part of its appeal.
"A lot of these people are in districts or in schools and they have no intention of leaving," Bennett pointed out. "This is where home is. This is where their families are. And so, we're helping them find ways to grow within that community and continue to serve and support their communities by becoming a teacher."
The program has expanded since its first cohort three years ago, when it was in one school district. Its third cohort is located in 15 school districts and Bennett noted there is a growing waitlist of districts wanting to be included. They are exploring how to further grow the program.
Emma Wood, assistant dean of educator preparation at the university, said another important part of the program is it is designed to ensure paraprofessionals earn a degree without getting into debt. She emphasized the teacher shortage is because not enough educators are in the classroom five years after graduating, not because the state is not graduating enough teachers.
"Our anticipation is that their retention rate is going to go up," Wood explained. "Because what we have been finding is that teacher preparation programs are graduating enough teachers but we cannot keep up with the number of teachers that are leaving the profession."
Bennett added the program is rewarding because many of the people in the program never planned to get a college degree or even thought it was possible.
"The personal effect of this and how it touches people in very meaningful ways is profound and you can't really put words on it, you can't put a dollar amount on that," Bennett stressed. "It is quite literally changing lives."
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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As Connecticut's school year begins, the state is still dealing with a teacher shortage.
Almost every subject area is facing a statewide shortage and it is uncertain when school districts might see some relief. A new survey showed 97% of educators list burnout as a top concern since they have had to contend with growing class sizes and wearing many hats.
Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, said the results are a telling sign of the strain teachers face.
"We need every educator," Dias stressed. "We don't produce enough educators in our education prep programs to support the retirement and so we need every educator to stay. And so, [we're] really digging in and trying to figure out how do we look at the role's responsibility and figure out how to make this job more manageable."
Surveyed educators reported considering early retirement or leaving teaching altogether. One-third said they will leave the field in the next five years. They said better pay is the best way to address the issues, aligning salaries to reflect the level of education it takes to be a teacher. Among those surveyed, 40% reported having second jobs to cover the cost of living and to save money.
State lawmakers passed a bill to establish a standards board to review the procedure for hiring, retention and certification of teachers. The board's first report is slated to come out in January.
Amy Dowell, executive director of Education Reform Now CT, said the state's overreliance on the Practice Two exam is a barrier to teacher certification.
"It tends to be a barrier to entry for candidates who are looking to become educators who have successfully completed their educator preparation program," Dowell explained. "They have challenges completing some of these standardized tests to become educators."
She added standardized exams do not always predict how a person will perform in the classroom. While studies have echoed her sentiment, some argued licensure tests provide feedback on the quality of teacher preparation programs and their test performance could be more indicative of a person's skills in the classroom.
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Indigenous populations have long faced barriers in pursuing higher education and Minnesota's new free college tuition program could help put some of these dreams within reach.
This fall, the state launched its North Star Promise initiative, where households earning below $80,000 qualify for free tuition at state colleges and universities. Experts said limited scholarships are one of the many obstacles Native Americans encounter in the world of higher education.
Anna Sheppard, president of White Earth Tribal and Community College, does not sense the new program will lead to a big enrollment boost but for students receiving aid, it could take their college journey to greater heights.
"What I really appreciate is that they're not going to have to graduate having debt," Sheppard emphasized. "Maybe they're going to pursue a master's or doctoral, so then they don't have to worry about that."
She noted juggling student loans and other college debt often limits Indigenous populations from obtaining advanced degrees. Research from the Postsecondary National Policy Institute shows that between 2010 and 2020, there was an 18% decrease in graduate enrollment among Native Americans.
At White Earth, Sheppard noted the possibility of more students from tribal areas means they could be learning about in-demand careers and technology, such as solar energy.
"On top of that, we do have a solar array on campus, so they get to see one that's actually an operation," Sheppard explained. "Right now, that powers our extension-customized education building."
She suggested the solar classes they provide, including learning how to install panels, put the students in a better position after graduation with more projects coming on board in Minnesota. Industry leaders said they are having a harder time filling jobs, increasingly offering good pay and benefits.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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