In classrooms from Philadelphia to Oregon and beyond, the journey to becoming a teacher is as much about overcoming obstacles as it is about shaping young minds. The stories of teachers and aspiring educators reveal the immense value they bring—not just to students, but to the fabric of communities. Yet, as recent events show, the path to the classroom is increasingly fraught with financial, systemic, and emotional challenges.
Fatim Byrd, a Spanish teacher in Philadelphia and adjunct professor at Southern Crescent Technical School, remembers a childhood shaped by instability in public education. In a commentary published by The Philadelphia Sunday SUN on February 24, 2026, Byrd recounts being pulled from Philadelphia’s public schools in the 1990s due to underfunding, understaffing, and unsafe conditions. “By first grade, I had already been injured in a fight that left me with a fractured nose,” Byrd recalls. The solution for Byrd’s family was homeschooling, with his mother stepping in as his first teacher. When he returned to public schools, it was the dedication of teachers like Mr. Gabor, Ms. Frye, and Ms. King-Davis that transformed his life. “They taught me Shakespeare and Toni Morrison, activism and hidden histories, language and possibility. They showed me that education could be liberatory,” he writes.
But Byrd’s reflections are tinged with concern for the future of teaching. The Pennsylvania Legislature’s failure to pass a budget on time in 2025 forced the School District of Philadelphia to authorize borrowing up to $1.55 billion just to remain operational. Other districts, including Morrisville, Harrisburg, and William Penn, faced similar crises, borrowing with interest and nearly shutting down. Pre-K providers across the city lost state payments, draining savings and delaying payroll. Hiring freezes and stalled capital projects left schools scrambling. Even SEPTA service, vital for thousands of Philadelphia students, was at risk. “This instability doesn’t just harm schools. It shatters the teacher pipeline. Who wants to enter a profession that lacks consistent funding, including how it pays its workforce?” Byrd asks.
For aspiring educators, the message is clear: teaching is a calling, but increasingly, it’s a precarious one. Byrd emphasizes, “Teachers are the essential ingredient of the economy and public education: sustaining democracy, building the workforce, and enabling students to pursue their academic and career goals. Yet teaching remains less attractive in status, compensation, and financial feasibility than other professions requiring four-year degrees.”
Despite these hurdles, there are glimmers of hope. The PA Needs Teachers Coalition has called for making it financially viable—ideally free—to become a teacher through service scholarships, paid apprenticeships, student teaching stipends, and subsidized certification exams. Pennsylvania lawmakers have partially funded a student teacher stipend program, but advocates like Byrd argue it must be fully funded and expanded. “Doing so would ensure student teachers are financially stable so that they can fully soak up classroom learning experiences and be energized to appreciate the profession as much as I have throughout my life,” he writes.
Philadelphia’s Citywide Talent Coalition has secured over $500,000 in workforce funds and launched multiple apprenticeship programs across district and charter schools. Early pipeline programs for aspiring educators now span nine high schools, up from just two three years ago. The Cadet Teacher Program has demonstrated real impact: 42% of participants enrolled in teacher preparation programs after graduation, and 50% expressed interest in teaching as a career. Programs like The Center for Black Educator Development are leading the way in teacher apprenticeship experiences and high school pathways.
Stories like Byrd’s resonate with aspiring teachers across the nation. Elizabeth Leishman, a senior in secondary education at Utah State University, is preparing for her final semester and student teaching in spring 2026. According to a February 24, 2026 article published by Utah State University, Leishman received the Lonnie & Cheryl Smith Scholarship, which allowed her to reduce financial stress and focus fully on student teaching without the burden of working full time. “This scholarship has helped a lot,” Leishman said. “It came at the perfect time—just as I’m getting ready to begin student teaching in the spring. Not having to worry as much about tuition and fees during this time has reduced a huge amount of stress. It’s allowing me to focus fully on my last semester and graduate debt-free.”
Leishman’s commitment to teaching was shaped by growing up in a city with both affluent and underfunded areas. “I saw friends fall behind because they didn’t have access to the resources they needed. That’s why I want to teach in schools where I can make a real difference,” she said. After completing two semesters of clinical experience, she plans to begin her teaching career in an inner-city school in Chicago after graduating in 2026. “The first year of teaching is challenging on its own, and this support makes all the difference in helping me start my career strong,” Leishman added.
Scholarships like the Lonnie & Cheryl Smith Scholarship are expendable, meaning they provide immediate funding to cover tuition, fees, or living expenses at critical points in a student’s education. This immediacy enables students to focus on learning and gain hands-on experience, preparing them to transition into careers without the looming burden of debt. Leishman’s story is a testament to the power of such support: “Receiving this scholarship has reminded me that there are people who care about my success and want to see me thrive. I hope to honor that generosity every day in the classroom by inspiring my students to reach their full potential.”
Meanwhile, in Cornelius, Oregon, Adriana Mendoza is shaping the next generation as a kindergarten teacher at Cornelius Elementary, a new building that opened in the 2025-2026 school year. According to Your Oregon News (February 25, 2026), Mendoza teaches the Class of 2039—children born in 2020—alongside two support teachers. Her approach is holistic: “We’re coming at everything with joy and excitement,” she said. “This is their first exposure to teachers, school and what a student is. We have to be fast-paced, flexible and embrace humor and compassion.”
Mendoza’s journey began as the first in her family to attend college, guided by the TRIO program at Walla Walla Community College and later earning degrees from Portland State University. She was assigned to McKay Elementary through the Head Start program, which solidified her desire to make an impact in a community that reflected her own upbringing. “My dream was to teach bilingual kindergarteners in a predominantly Latino community,” Mendoza said. That dream became reality seven years ago at Cornelius Elementary, which she describes as a “second home.”
Mendoza’s teaching goes beyond academics. She emphasizes independence, empathy, and emotional expression for her 5- and 6-year-old students. She also builds relationships with families, meeting parents before the school year to discuss engagement strategies. “I see myself reflected in them, and they see themselves reflected in me,” she said of her students. Looking ahead, Mendoza aspires to mentor other teachers of color, recognizing the importance of representation and support. “I want them to leave knowing they have my support in the education system and beyond. School was my safe place, and I wanted to be that for my students.”
Across the country, these stories—of financial hardship, legislative delays, and personal triumph—underscore a universal truth: teachers are the backbone of society. Their journeys are shaped by the policies and resources available to them, but their impact is measured in the lives they touch and the futures they help build. As educators like Byrd, Leishman, and Mendoza show, investing in teachers is investing in the promise of every child, every classroom, and every community.