Concerned about the impact of staffing shortages on Connecticut schools – particularly those in the state’s urban centers that serve a high proportion of students living in poverty and Black and Latinx students – dozens of educators and administrators from across the state recommend changing the state’s educator preparation and certification process in ways that will help school systems fill vacancies with strong, effective educators who better reflect the diversity of their students. The current system, they say, deters strong candidates from applying and does not adequately prepare teachers for the classroom. A new report by CPRL, “Connecticut Educator Insights on Building a More Effective, Diverse Educator Workforce,” captures the experiences and insights of 60 Connecticut pre-service educators, teachers, and administrators. (March 2023)