Discussions about a teaching crisis in America have become a common phenomenon since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
News reports dating back over three years have continually been published about a teaching shortage. Now, in 2023, nearly three-fourths of school districts interviewed by ABC News state that they are experiencing a teacher shortage.
The US Department of Education’s Teacher Shortage Area report shows that all 50 states have reported a teacher shortage in at least one subject area. With many school districts reporting that they are facing a “mass exodus” of teachers leaving the profession.
The United States has been experiencing a teacher shortage for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened matters. School districts have been struggling to maintain teachers after the pandemic as teacher turnover rates are reaching an all-time high.
In a research report published by RAND.org, 58% of district leaders representing a nationally representative school district anticipate a “small shortage” of teachers and another 17% anticipated a “large shortage” in the next few years.
This had led to many districts being forced to hire people with no teaching experience or training to fill the vacant positions.
Many teachers state that the reason it is so hard for districts to maintain educators is because teachers feel as though there is a lack of adequate support from school administrators.
Other reasons teachers listed were increased expectations without pay raises, feeling unsafe in the classroom due to the rise of school shootings and political polarization surrounding the profession.
Wisconsin has especially been struggling to maintain its teachers. The Department of Public Instruction has released its latest data regarding teachers from 2021. In Wisconsin, 5,391 people graduated with bachelor’s degrees for teaching, but only 3,618 of those graduates became teachers in the state.
As the teaching shortage continues with no end in sight, many districts across the country are concerned about the effect it is going to have on students’ education.
