Why Is There a Teacher Shortage ?

 

A new report from EPI shows that the pandemic exacerbated a preexisting and long-standing shortage of teachers. The shortage is especially severe in schools with high shares of students of color or students from low-income families. The shortage is not because there is an inadequate number of qualified teachers in the U.S. economy. The problem is simply that there are too few qualified teachers willing to work at current pay levels, given the increasingly stressful environment facing teachers.   Teacher shortages are widespread, but are especially acute in some subject areas, as seen in the chart below.

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A shortage of qualified teachers and other staff threatens students’ ability to learn, undermining the education system’s goal of providing a sound education equitably to all children.  This situation must not be allowed to continue. To end the teacher shortage, we must address the two most pressing reasons for the problem: The long-standing decline in the pay of teachers relative to other workers with a college degree; and The high and increasing levels of stress public school teachers face every day in the classroom.

Duane, a sound education system is central to economic justice, and fair compensation and working conditions are necessary for a well-functioning education system. Please help EPI spread the word by sharing this chart with your networks and, if you are able, please consider making a gift to support EPI’s important work.

Thank you for your support and for helping to expand our reach.  John Schmitt Senior Economist  Economic Policy Institute