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Second, making college more affordable for prospective teachers could help address teacher shortages. It’s difficult to grasp the true size and scope of Ohio’s shortages because the state doesn’t (but should) collect data on teacher vacancies. But the data that are available point to several problems, including that fewer young people are entering the profession.
A host of possible reasons explain this decline, Laos Phone Number Data including concerns about low pay that are compounded by the looming specter of student loan debt. An increasing number of teenagers are deciding to forgo college, and nationally representative surveys of high school students indicate that cost is the primary reason why. Mitigating some of those costs is crucial for talented students who could succeed in college but are choosing to steer clear because of student loans. Third, there’s evidence that state-funded scholarship programs like this can have a positive impact. The Choose Ohio First scholarship program was created in 2007 to help strengthen Ohio's competitiveness within STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.
It does so by awarding funding to Ohio colleges and universities, which then provide competitive scholarships and work-based learning experiences to students who are seeking a certificate or associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree in eligible STEM disciplines. Thanks in part to this program, the number of STEM degrees awarded at Ohio’s public colleges and universities has increased from over 26,000 total students in 2008 to more than 39,000 total students in 2023.
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