1. National Teach Ag Ambassador Training Session #1
TUESDAY, JULY 10, PM EDT
For audio call Participant Code: #

3. Introductions Name Year in School School Home State
Describe your “teaching style” in 5 words or less

4. By the end of the training you will:
Describe the mission of the National Teach Ag Campaign
Define the demand for agriculture teachers
Explain the effects of the demand for agriculture teachers
Identify local, state and national solutions
Locate and organize ready to use resources
Participate in meaningful discussion
Ask timely and relevant questions

5. Brief Teach Ag Background
Started in 2009
Initiative of the National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council)
Managed by National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE)
Sponsor-funded through the National FFA Foundation
CHS Foundation (since 2011)
Corteva Agriscience™ Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™ (2014)
Growth Energy (2014)
BASF (2017)
Mission
Raise awareness of the need to recruit and retain high quality and diverse agriculture teachers
Encourage others to teach agriculture
Celebrate the positive contributions that agriculture teachers make in our schools and communities

6. The rest of the team…. Ellen Thompson Project Director South Dakota
Victoria Hamilton Marketing Assistant
Kentucky
Aileen Ehn Program Manager
California
Johanna Rey Teach Ag Intern University of Florida

7. Meet the Teach Ag Sponsors!

8. NTAC is sponsor-funded through the National FFA Foundation
CHS Foundation (since 2011)
Corteva Agriscience™ Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™ (2014)
Growth Energy (2014)
BASF (2017)

9. Ms. Nanci Lilja President, CHS Foundation
5500 Cenex Dr PO Box Inver Grove Heights, MN
Grain, energy and food cooperative based in Inver Grove Heights, MN.

10. Ms. Henri G. Moore Global Leader
DuPont Center for Education and Philanthropy
974 Centre Road CRP708/181 Wilmington, DE 19805
Leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics supplying seed to farmers around the world. Based in Johnston, IA.

11. Ms. Emily Skor Executive Director, Growth Energy
701 8th Street, NW, Suite Washington, D.C
Ethanol trade association advocating on behalf of the biofuels and ethanol. Based in Washington, D.C.

12. Mr. Paul Rea
Senior Vice-President, BASF Corporation – Crop Protection Division
26 Davis Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Chemical company supplying products to help farmers achieve a bountiful harvest. Located in Research Triangle Park, NC.

13. Current Supply/Demand Status
*Based on the 2018 AAAE National Supply and Demand Study
9,071 agricultural education programs
13,827 agriculture teachers
1,027 openings due to retirement, teacher loss and growth
223 retirements
247 new positions added
88 programs closed due to lack of a qualified teacher
464 positions filled with an alternatively certified or non-licensed teacher
61 full-time positions went unfilled
873 new licensed ag ed graduates
654 accepted agriculture teacher positions
41,610 = total students impact due to teacher shortage
Based on 650,000 FFA membership (actual number is likely higher because not all ag students are FFA members)

14. What’s Causing the Shortage?
Retirement 24.8 %
Employed in business/industry 18.2%
Not offered a contract/terminated 10.1%
Employed in another content area (outside of ag ed) 8.3%
Employed in school administration 7.9%
Stay at home parent/caregiver 6.9%
Moved out of state (but still teaching agriculture) 3.6%
Continuing education/grad school 1.9%
Employed in production agriculture/farming 3.3%
Employed in postsecondary education 2.1%
Health 1.8%
Employed in adult education/FBM 0.2%
*Data based upon National Agricultural Education Supply & Demand Study 2018 Executive Summary by Daniel D. Foster, Rebecca G. Lawver, Amy R. Smith

16. Effects of the Shortage
Ag Education Programs closing/not operating
School districts hiring teachers who are not qualified to teach agriculture.
Agricultural Education being offered in other content areas without the Experiential Learning/Leadership Development components
School districts reluctant to open new programs
Increased pressure/burden on current teachers

17. Why Does this Matter?
Agriculture teachers must pass a rigorous certification process. They are specially trained to implement the three circle agricultural education model.
Agriculture teachers provide vocational training for students and community members.
Agriculture teachers are in the unique position of equipping students of all levels and abilities with life long employability skills through hands-on lessons and real life experiences.
To grow FFA chapters we need more agricultural education programs. We can’t open new programs or expand current programs without an increased supply of agriculture teachers.

18. What is the National Teach Ag Campaign Doing to Address the Shortage?
Teach Ag Website
National Teach Ag Day ( )
Targeted contacts
State Teach Ag Results (STAR) Program
Event Representation
Teach Ag Ambassadors
Data collection and distribution
Teach Ag Advisory Board
Resource creation and availability
Promotional materials and alerts

19. Universal Practices that Show Promise
Student teaching scholarships
Mentoring
From high school to first year teacher
Make the ag ed major THE place to be.
Networking experiences/travel experiences around the state and country for Ag Ed majors.
Parental engagement
Work/life balance emphasis for current teachers
I love my job narrative
Early and often contact with potential candidates
What can you do? Develop a plan and execute it. For states with a plan in place this will serve as reinforcement, for states without a plan this will get you headed in the right direction.
Noticed a lot states reaching out to me as small groups/individual organizations. Team leader critical. Embrace the whole group.

20. Questions the NTAC Asks Every Day:
Is this connected to the mission?
Is this practice sustainable?
Is it effective?
Is it the right time?
Do we have the time, talent and resources to make it happen in a quality way?
What will have the greatest impact?
Where are the drop off points?
Is that an area we have a reasonable amount of influence over?
Who needs to be involved?
What/Who are we missing?
Is this a meaningful resource?
Does this help the local agriculture teacher/state staff?

22. Due by August 30th Travel information Driving or flying
Flight information if applicable (airline, flight #, arrival & departure times)
Cell phone number
Scheduling issues during NFFA Convention
Dropbox account for use after convention

23. Important Dates to Remember
NATIONAL TEACH AG DAY
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION
OCTOBER 27- NOVEMBER 1

24. Questions, Comments, Concerns…..

25. Contact Teach Ag www.naae.org/teachag @teach_ag #teachag
Ellen Thompson
Victoria Hamilton
Andrea Fristoe
Aileen Ehn
@teach_ag
#teachag
Teach Ag is here to help. I’m looking for states to work with who are interested in planning and implementing successful R&R models.
Stop by the booth and pick up your regional S/D profile /2008 Ag Ed Summit R/R ideas. Teach Ag owl. List of resources and more. If we are out of anything go to the Teach Ag website and print your own copy.