Educators raise concerns about the shortage of teachers

Education advocates are sounding the alarm on the growing teacher shortage crisis, urging lawmakers to increase funding for programs to address the issue. According to a recent report, around 37% of schools nationwide are facing a shortage of at least one teacher, with schools in high-poverty neighborhoods being hit the hardest, where more than half report a vacancy.

Susan Kemper Patrick, a senior researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, expressed concern over the high number of unfilled teaching positions across the U.S., with at least 314,000 positions either vacant or filled by teachers who are not fully certified for their assignments. This means that one in ten teaching positions nationally are either unfilled or not staffed by a certified teacher.

In California alone, there were 10,000 teacher vacancies in the 2021-22 school year, with a 16% decrease in teacher credentials issued compared to the previous year. To address the shortage, California passed a bill in 2023 to make it easier for retired teachers to return to the classroom.

The shortage has forced schools to take desperate measures such as combining classes, relying on virtual teachers, or using long-term substitutes. Kemper Patrick attributed the problem to low salaries, highlighting that the average starting salary for a teacher in the U.S. is less than $43,000 per year.

In response, Congress is considering two bills, the Diversify Act and the Educators for America Act, which aim to double the Teach America grant from $4,000 to $8,000 per year. The hope is that increased funding and support will help attract and retain qualified teachers to address the critical shortage in schools nationwide.