How Bad is the Teacher Shortage, Really?
The news is full of stories about the teacher shortage. But is the situation really as bad as it seems?
Quite simply, it depends on where you are. Some states and locales are more prone to shortages than others — for example, school systems in suburban Illinois or New York are less likely to struggle with empty applicant pools than those in rural Oklahoma or Arizona.
Plus, certain teaching specialties are in higher demand than others. Special Education and STEM teachers are in high demand across the country, and school districts must compete to attract the most talented educators. For a school district with fewer resources, it can be tough to stay competitive with regards to salaries and benefits. That makes it an equity issue — if disadvantaged schools cannot attract and retain effective teachers, student learning in those schools will suffer.
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Looking for any of the resources cited in the video?
• Teacher Pipeline Data: A Pipeline Running Dry. https://www.frontlineeducation.com/so...
• Job Posting Statistics: 2017-2018 K-12 Absence & Hiring Trends Report from the Frontline Research & Learning Institute. https://www.frontlineinstitute.com/re...
• National Teacher Turnover: Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results from the 2012–13 Teacher Follow-up Survey. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinf...
• Oklahoma Teacher Turnover: 2018 Oklahoma Educator Supply & Demand Report. Oklahoma State Department of Education.