New Data Shows Nationwide Teacher Shortage Is Worse Than Feared 

There are too many factors that are driving teachers away: Awful behaviors; far too many responsibilities; too little planning time; too much unpaid overtime hours; too many responsibilities; overcrowded classrooms; mediocre pay; overburdening supervisors and districts; helicopter parents; stressful, toxic administration; etc etc etc

When teachers get yelled at by parents on parent-teacher conferences, admin is not backing up teachers, kids are out of control and don't accept authority, then what do you expect from K12 teachers? You want to have good teachers being able to do their job and get good test results? Look at Asian nations. Korea, China to name a few. As a parent, try to yell at a teacher in China. The school will set you straight once and for all...

I am a teacher and love my job but the public’s disrespect towards teachers is amazing. If we’re all such nincompoops, homeschool!

Pay is only one piece of the puzzle. Student behaviors and lack of admin support play a huge part in the teacher shortage.

people keep asking why teachers leave. teachers are telling you why they're leaving. people of authority are just not listening...covid isn't the cause of it. it's just the final straw for a lot of teachers.

There is no teacher shortage. I'm tired of hearing this as a fellow teacher. There is, however, a shortage of pay, respect and disregard for the profession.

17 years and I'm out. It wasn't the pandemic. It was the year after schools fully reopened in person. The incredible, unreasonable demands. We were treated horribly by admin. Goodbye. ( I have three degrees in Education. I told my three children that I'd rather they not finish college if they intended on Education as a major.)

Instead of giving teachers more support, encouragement, and pay - we see them just start hiring random people to fill the gaps. These same people are gonna blame the newly under qualified teachers for the low quality of education and justify the low wages. Its a cycle.

Where I live my teacher pay is decent, low compared to others with my same level of education, but I do ok. For me the problem is that it’s a dysfunctional system. The school hours that you are there with the kids is only 50% of the job (which takes every ounce of energy you have, it’s like being a mom or dad to at least 20 kids for 6 hours) and the other 50% of the job you have to do on your own personal time. This creates so much exhaustion and stress and frustration because it leaves so little for your own personal things. This for me is what causes the burn out. Then you look at your salary and think to yourself, “they don’t pay me enough to be giving up parts of my life for this”. IMO money yes, but changing systemic things. I teach elementary, so one idea would be teaching with a partner, he could do 3 subjects and I do the other three, while he teaches, I’m preparing, and then we switch. I think thinking of solutions like this would keep people and attract people to the profession.

Student Behavior. No accountability for students or parents. Disregulated students and parents. Admin that doesn't support teachers. Gaslighting teachers. Those are just a few.

It will continue if there keeps being so much paperwork. How many parents make different dinners for each of their Kids? Why would you expect a teacher to do that for each kid?

How about paying a living wage for these teachers too?

No other profession is expected to do the majority of their work at home FOR FREE! Dealing with the students is just one aspect of teaching. 20 hours+ at home a week FOR FREE just to get semi-caught up is ridiculous! My overtime rate would be $52 dollars an hour...... if we were paid according to our contractual hourly rate. At 20 hours extra a week that's over $1,000 a week that I'm working but not getting paid for. And I know a lot teachers doing a lot more than 20 hours a week! It's just expected of us to do all the extra stuff at home in our own free time. No other profession gets treated this way. Pay teachers according to the incredible work load they have... a workload that is impossible to bear.

On top of paying teachers livable salaries, hold all parents, students, and administrators accountable for their actions and inactions on the disciplinary and professional-respect fronts ‘round the clock and teachers will remain in the profession. Who knows? Maybe some new ones will hop onboard as well under such circumstances!

maybe its about time you started paying them more...

Really? You “need to have a conversation with teachers and ask why they’re leaving the profession”? You’ve got to be kidding me! Ridiculously low pay, absolutely no support in the classroom for special needs kids, reliance on teachers spending their own money for supplies. Constant coverage with no sub pay. Your not knowing is the problem!

Low pay, gutting of benefits, too many administrators, degree inflation, toxic work environment with management bullying and gaslighting

Government cutting teacher wages for years, did they really think this wasn't going to happen smh

The solution is obvious and clear. We keep saying and talk about shortage, but nothing is done about it. Honestly I don’t think anything will ever be done. Even if 90% of the teachers are gone. The people that can make a change don’t honestly care. Education is not a priority. The American public Education is a total mess with so much problems that many parents and the public don’t really see or know. They only see the surface of the problems which are so many already. For one the working conditions and environment is unreasonable bad.. For another, the processes and organization of the education system is dysfunctional.

It would help if parents would actually do their part instead of looking at schools as babysitting centers. Kids aren't disciplined by parents and teachers in trouble if they do. It's tough enough in class without fear of actually getting attacked or kids disrupting class and getting away with it.

380,000 and more education positions vacant, and no change. I bet when there are no more teachers left, even then, we still won't change

The shortage has been going on for over 12 years. Ever since "teach to the test" has been the main focus.

If you enjoy being verbally disrespected by students, parents, and administration; in addition to being physically assaulted by students, then this is the career for you! All this, and the thrill of teaching to a pacing guide, constant high stakes testing, and the threat of poor evaluations if you redirect misbehaving students out loud! Join now and you can be the lucky recipient of one of the lowest paid professions requiring a college degree. I can't imagine why anyone would pass up an opportunity like this! The only drawback is the chance that you and your students will be murdered by someone with an assault rifle. But hey, you will get lots of thoughts and prayers, so there's always a silver lining.

60 million 😂 Meanwhile, we have TRILLION dollar companies sitting on BILLIONS collecting interest. Teachers and our kids deserve better.

Hmmmm no retirement plan, being hit, disrespecting and viewing them as just babysitters and low pay. Wow I wonder why there is a shortage?

The problem is that teachers have to do two jobs: 1. regular teacher duties; and 2. Compliance Officer. The state governments are aware of this that teachers have a crushing workload and unprofessional compensation calendars. This is a deliberate state government to undermine the teaching profession. Consequently, teaching is forced to become a sunset industry with coming 500,000 vacancies. The state government does not anything?

It is absolutely wild hearing these stories when the OBVIOUS answer is paying people WAY more. Not just a little. This is wayyyyy overdue

It is not an attractive profession at all anymore. More people are going into trades as professions now. Lots of computer jobs that were not possible many years ago too.

On top of these issues, teachers in US need to mentally prepare for events like mass shootings. Who wants another non-academic agenda on their plate???

It’s not really not the pay that’s the problem but just the lack of help or support from admin and from parents sadly. A lot of teachers really are doing their best for their students but between class management, lesson plans, teaching, meetings, etc it can be a bear of a job that would burn out the toughest Type A personality.

News segments like these are such a joke. "We are asking teachers why they're leaving." Well, you might be asking, but you either don't like the answers you're getting or you just aren't listening... The news needs to stop asking why (because I'm not even a teacher and I know why!) And start reporting on the facts: underpaid, overworked, with no support from admin while students are given way too much power by admin and parents (and this has been going on well before the pandemic). Even the news is gaslighting the teachers! Wtf! Is this real life?

10th year... just applied to 4 jobs in the private sector. I'm DONEEEEEE!!!! Screw the American education system

There is not a teacher shortage. For example, I have a master's degree in education and 10 years experience in the high school classroom teaching American History and Government. I will NEVER go back and the reasons are simple: No respect, culture wars and student/parent behavior. Without protections in the classroom against these threats, I can't imagine anyone in their right mind would want to be a teacher. With that said, it's also important to understand how the educational system will degrade with classrooms always led by first year teachers. That first year or two is not pretty, and often, not effective.

In my area, so many families also fled public for the Catholic schools because they offered consistent face to face learning. And now they've stayed because of other perks. Praying for teachers and families!

Another issue is people having too many children that they can’t effectively parent and the burden gets placed on them teachers

Dam I guess not a lot of people don’t wanna be teacher’s then

I have a masters in Teaching. I quit teaching years ago. I still see no reason to go back. I still more money taking calls on a call centers than I ever made teaching.

Teaching was once a noble profession when a teachers role of reading, writing and arithmetic was clearly defined. Unlike other professions with clear duties teachers are expected to wear whatever hats they’re told to wear or quit if they don’t like it. Sickening.

I had applied for my 1st teaching job right before the pandi and decided not to follow through .. If it were more respected I may try again.

In my area they are in need of subs. If you have an associate’s degree they will hire you. When I asked the pay they said $14/hr. I laughed and said no…. Our local McDonald’s I can make $15/hr. I don’t know what they pay regular teachers but they have a shortage all around at the school. I feel bad for my kids and the teachers. This a major problem

Where there is no discipline there can be no education. There is a respect for teacher shortage, an admin support shortage, and a parental responsibility shortage. As someone who subbed for 5yrs, the class has become very unfriendly and dangerous. Admin will not support teachers and students are very aggressive. Subs are quitting too.

Here is an example of Administrative thinking. We can only pay aides for 6hrs at minimum way but we need them for 7.5hrs. Answer: 1/2 or .5 lunch, .5 break in am that must be taken a minimum of 1hr after school starts and .5 hr break in afternoon the must be taken 1 hr before school ends. Make them be in the building for 1.5hrs without pay and 6hrs with pay.

Give teachers FULL authority of their classroom again and lower classroom sizes. If a student continues to disrespect a teachers authority and the learning environment that students should be dismissed permanently. These few steps will go a long way in teacher retention.

Who wants to deal with the insane political attacks from parents while getting paid beans and being constantly disrespected? Of course they’re quitting.

I just retired after 26 years in public school and all the reasons teachers leave are evident. The kids in America are poorly motived, bad behavior by kids, parents who do not support teachers, admin that also do not support teachers, low pay especially for teachers with many years of experience and a Masters degree, and teach to the test. This stands in sharp contrast to what I saw when teaching and studying in Taiwan, Japan, and China. In Asia parents and students respect teachers. The kids are in a merit based competition to get into the best city high schools and national universities. Parents realize their kids are their retirement plan and push them to study hard. Teachers of many years hold get respect and are paid for it. Poor behavior is not tolerated in schools and mainstreaming of special Ed does not happen. We must adopt the Asian model.

I"m so glad I left 3 yrs ago. The expectations are outlandish and the system is so broken.

In order to get more teachers / substitute teachers into the classroom they need to raise their salary to, or above the national average maybe, they will get more people interested in the teaching profession!

Why would anyone want to be a teacher in the United States?

So staying home with your well-behaved kiddos was a significant problem.

As a Special Education teacher that "moved on"...the reason why we are leaving in many cases because of the violence we are experiencing. I am not talking about severely disabled...I am talking about the allowance of students with mild disabilities to be physically, emotionally, verbally violent to teachers and have no repercussions. And...as SpEd teachers it is not just my classroom...if they do it in other classrooms...guess who is required to go get/work with that student? The SpEd teacher. And then the paperwork...legal and documentation. I was working 12, 14 hour days.

I like how the news is talking about teacher shortage, but nobody is doing anything to change the overall environment so that it's manageable for teachers to actually teach. Improve the conditions and you will have more teachers teaching. Keep piling more things on teachers' plates, and you will continue to have a teacher shortage.

Give us a solid work day every 3 weeks and don't freak out if we don't do curriculum mandates if we see our kids need more help.

Disrespect from all sides.

No more teachers? Yikes.

Pay a living wage - ditch the woke advocacy and curriculum - and then people might want to go into teaching.

Sure pay teachers doctors nurses fire fighters paramedics more money …

The pandemic is not to blame…. As a teacher with 5 years experience, I think the issue is rude and disrespectful parents and students.

I could have told you that. Get parents to go and volunteer in their kids school. See how your kids behave. Get your legislators to go volunteer. See how the kids behave. Yall need a reality check on what goes on daily- teachers spend 75% on behavior and 25% on teaching.

Stop treating and paying teachers like they are only babysitters. Invest, value, and respect the educators and the education system as a whole, then you will find plenty of teachers.

On the bright side… as a special Ed teacher I am pretty much guaranteed a job. People are not fighting over my job so this shortage allows me to reclaim my life and do my job on my terms knowing my school needs me more than I need them - therefore I can focus more on the aspects of the job I love such as working with students, planning engaging lessons and building those relationships that make students successful and not sweat mindless, endless paperwork and useless P.D. that benefits no one. I love being a teacher, genuinely care about my students and want them to do well. We teachers can reclaim education by realizing this fact and be teachers again and not just puppets of a failed system working ourselves silly and teaching to the test. My fellow educators - schools need you more than you need them! Take back control and make us professionals again!

No…….poor admin, horrible admin, no $$$, horrible parents, spoiled rotten children.

what does the governments expect when teachers are undervalued and not respected EVERY SINGLE DAY???

Special Ed teachers? The districts put special Ed kids in regular classes. NBC, catch up

Wait and see in the next 5-10 years when a bunch of teachers can retire with solid pensions. They’re going to leave as soon as they can. I know I’m going to leave as soon as I can unless things improve but I’m pretty sure things are getting not going to get worse.

What about a raise ? As cost of living is going up and we work more then 60 Hours a week and then i need another job…

I'm the author of EIGHT DAYS IN AN INNER CITY SCHOOL. Why doesn't anybody talk about the out of control OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING in k-12 education.

Don't worry I use to being told to shut up and sit down it no big deal

1 year later, the problem is even worse and still not one finger lifted to fix the issues. Everybody acting like the problems are a secret. Teacher's are screaming out what the issues are and nothing is ever fixed. So we will all leave and let them deal with the mess.

They need science teachers but where is the compensation? Where are our salary increases?

Who would want to be a teacher? The signs have been obvious for decades

There's 4 reasons. Student behavior and lack of consequences is my biggest reason.

PERMISSIVE PARENTS and PERMISSIVE TEACHERS are the dilemma in today's educational culture. Teachers are so afraid of students not liking them. They are so terrified of having the reputation of the "mean teacher" that they will sacrifice respect and classroom expectations to be liked by their students. All students have to do today is talk negatively about teachers to other teachers behind their backs, to parents, and/or the school principal to assassinate the character of the teacher they don't like. It's manipulative and insidious. Soon after, the teacher's authority and reputation are disarmed and ruined. It's the latest way that children are gaining control in schools by dividing and conquering. I've even heard teachers ask students what another teacher is like, which is outrageous. If you want to know what another teacher is like, then you are the adult. You should be mature enough to get to know the teacher yourself, rather than ask a seven-year-old his or her opinion about another adult. What do you expect a kid to say about a teacher, especially if the teacher is a no-nonsense kind of teacher who has the high expectations that you don't have of students? I am appalled by today's wimpy teachers. It's not uncommon for me to hear today's teachers address their students as school "friends". As a result, students relate to adults as their peers. The outcome is a NIGHTMARE. Too many teachers have lost their confidence as authority figures in the classroom. So many of them are docile and they defer to every child's whim. They aren't managing their classrooms well because they can't issue consequences, which isn't entirely their fault. It's the fault of today's permissive culture. What's worse, some teachers are childish and just as immature as the students. They are speaking poorly about other teachers working in their buildings with their students. This is gossip and it's unprofessional. Your students aren't your friends. Adults need to make friends with other ADULTS. The children in your classroom are your students. Kids can't be your "besties". Stop relating to children as your peers. It certainly isn't helping the state of today's education.

Cancel School for Staffein Country

Until we adjust what we value as a society this will not change we value fame money and power not wisdom and knowledge

Not enough money 💰 and administration not supporting them

Education is not valued. Teachers aren’t respected. Districts are afraid of litigation. Kids know that nothing will happen to them. I have 26 years in and it keeps getting worse. My pay and benefits are good but why would a person ion their 20s choose to do this?

What are the factors leading you to leave the job? I think we told 100 times. You didn't listen.

These kids are just not worth teaching. I’m sorry but I’m quitting soon.

What do you people mean by a lack of respect? From parents? Because everyone I know worship teachers.

Ths black guy at the end said everything. You gotta pay teachers more. Period.

I love how the last 5 seconds says the only solution. Pay them

What's driving people out ... wow how dumb are these journalists: 1)The salary is horrible, grossly underpaid 2) the stress is tremendous and the expectations are truly unrealistic 3) the behavior of the kids an parents are horrible with ZERO Consequences. 4) unfair evaluations

School Close Payteach

Our elections are honest, and voters said NO to education funding in 2020. Prop 15 lost in Calif. Get your budgets under control or organize bake sales. I'll donate $5.

In my opinion, it's not the teacher salary. Teacher's make about $51,942 a year plus they get salary increases each year!!! If a teachers has a Master's Degree, they make even more money. In my opinion, I believe there's teachers shortages due to school shootings, students acting out, students disrespecting and hitting teachers and students talking or not paying attention when the teacher is teaching.

No one mentioned the poor salaries

I don't see any of those millionaires running in to teach

Taxe the places where these teachers going to work

Then pay them more don’t act like their salary is just the best or even livable for that matter, support them when their students act up instead of babying the kids’ outrageous behavior in fear of their ‘Karen’ moms, give them support in the classroom as their load is immense, make them feel safe by actually taking their reports of threats etc SERIOUSLY, these teachers get way too little for too much. I’m sorry, I’m not a teacher but can still see all the problems. It’s like stating a problem and making news articles about like there is just no way to fix it. Ummm, there are plenty of ways…

How do I get recruited? Hi, I am currently living in Brazil. I am an american citizen and have a bachelor degree on education and on early childhood and esl and three post graduate degree. I just don´t have the money to go back to american because I have my daughter and husband. Help me please are they recruiting from other country can they help me and my family? What do I do to be recruited to get a teaching job. I am qualified.

Add fear of guns political interference to the list 😡

The answer, obviously, is to keep voting blue. It's working well so far.

What a joke. We all know why teachers don't want to work. Reducing the requirements is basically waving the white flag and guaranteeing that QUALITY public education is dead. Rest In Peace.