Strengthening Pennsylvania’s Teacher Pipeline Through Funder Collaboration

Across Pennsylvania, schools are grappling with a growing teacher shortage—one that affects students, families, and communities alike. The impact of the shortage touches rural, suburban, and urban districts throughout the Commonwealth and around the country. Addressing it will require coordinated, sustained effort, and the William Penn Foundation is committed to helping lead the way.

We invest in a diverse set of programs with significant potential to positively influence teacher preparation work in Philadelphia and statewide. Since the teacher shortage is impacted by the rate of people entering teaching careers and the rate of current teachers vacating their roles, strengthening the pipeline at multiple points is critical to address the shortage.

Recognizing that no single organization can solve complex issues alone, at the William Penn Foundation we value and place a strong emphasis on collaboration. This priority is reflected in our support for the National Center for Education and the Economy to convene a statewide funder collaborative focused on the teacher pipeline. Bringing together over 15 philanthropic partners from across the state, we aim to create space for shared learning, coordinated action, and collective impact.

The goals of the funder collaborative are ambitious and practical. Participants are working to deepen their understanding of the root causes driving teacher shortages, from recruitment challenges to retention barriers. At the same time, the group is exploring innovative solutions including strategic staffing and professional affinity networks—activities already emerging in Pennsylvania and promising models from across the country. With diverse perspectives participating, the collaborative seeks to uncover new approaches that can respond to different geographic needs, community contexts, and educational priorities.

Beyond shared learning, an additional focus of the collaborative is helping funders clarify their own roles within a broader, coordinated philanthropic effort. Through shared discussion and strategy-building, funders are identifying where they can align investments, contribute expertise, and activate resources in ways that strengthen local and statewide solutions. The aim is not duplication, but alignment and ensuring that philanthropic dollars are working as effectively as possible.

The collaborative first gathered in-person in Philadelphia last September and again in Pittsburgh this February, marking an important step in building momentum and reinforcing a commitment to statewide engagement and shared ownership of the work ahead.

In the coming years, the Foundation is eager to continue partnering with our funder colleagues in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania to advance this work together. By collaboratively investing in advocacy, convening, and demonstrable solutions, the William Penn Foundation is helping to shape a more sustainable future for Pennsylvania’s teachers and for the students and communities they serve.

For funders interested in learning more about our work and ways to get involved, the Foundation is supporting a virtual Funder-to-Funder conversation hosted by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading on June 16. The conversation will explore local, regional, and national efforts related to the educator workforce and provide opportunities for broader philanthropic engagement around this critical issue. Register to join us at the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading’s website.