Pa. Student Teachers Face Financial Struggles Due to Budget Impasse
Thousands of student teachers in Pennsylvania, including Kassie Mikita, are facing financial difficulties as the state budget impasse delays their stipends.
“[I’m] just wondering what it's going to be like down the road later in life. Am I going to struggle like this again? Am I going to be okay doing this?”
Mikita, a senior at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is student teaching full-time at Apollo-Ridge Elementary in Armstrong County without pay, relying on the $10,000 stipend to cover living expenses.
- Applied for the stipend within two hours of the application opening
- Depends on the stipend for groceries and gas
- Uncertain about her financial future due to the budget delay
Author's summary: Pa. student teachers struggle financially due to budget impasse.