Groups take to the airwaves to attract teachers

A pair of television ads designed to persuade more people to pick teaching as a career are set to debut in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The 30-second spots set to start airing Tuesday will remind viewers about the lifelong impact teachers can have on their students.

The "Make Your Mark" campaign was commissioned by the Network for Excellence in Teaching, a partnership between the charitable Bush Foundation and 14 higher education institutions in the Upper Midwest.

Nearly half of the teachers in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota expected to retire over the next decade, so the foundation is investing $40 million in teacher-preparation programs.

The goal is to improve how new teachers are recruited, trained, placed and supported.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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