Anyone who works in a public school knows that the teaching profession is at a crisis point. Burnout is high, teachers are leaving their jobs at record rates, and the pipeline of new teachers is growing smaller. Below, we’ve gathered 14 of the most alarming 2022 teacher shortage statistics that prove we need to make teaching a more sustainable, desirable job.
1. 80% of educators indicate that burnout is a serious problem.
Yep, there’s no doubt about it. After three years of pandemic teaching, overwhelming workloads, and large class sizes, we’re burned out. Many of us work into the night and on weekends just so we don’t fall behind. With 80% of teachers saying burnout is a serious problem, we need to seriously reevaluate teacher workload, schedules, and pay.
Source: NEA
2. 55% of educators now indicate that they are ready to leave the profession earlier than planned.
Why are so many teachers who previously considered themselves career educators leaving? It could be the lack of support, the constant work, and struggle with student behavior issues. When schools and districts are losing educators, they need to be reflective in order to make a change and retain the people who will make an impact on their students.
Source: NEA
3. 80% of educators say that taking on more work due to unfilled job openings within their district is a serious problem.
Staff shortages are a problem. Teachers aren’t the only ones leaving education. Custodians, paraprofessionals, and cafeteria workers are also leaving schools. Teachers are picking up the slack in trying to make up for these lost staff members. Even instructional coaches are having to fill in for teachers because there is also a substitute teacher shortage. Educators often aren’t able to do the job they’ve been hired to do.
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Source: NEA
4. 78% of educators say that low pay is a serious issue for teachers.
Can we pay teachers more? It’s no secret that teachers aren’t paid well. What’s interesting about teachers’ salaries, however, is that they vary across the country. And there are even some instances where teachers make less in certain states, but they’re required to do more after contract hours. We need uniformity around teacher salaries across the country, and we also need to value teachers’ time. Let’s give our teachers a wage that they can actually live on comfortably.
Source: NEA
5. 76% of educators feel student behavioral issues are a serious problem.
We’ve always dealt with student behavior issues, but many teachers feel behavior issues are on the rise. What we need to alleviate this burden is support from administrators. School and district administrators should make every effort to make sure classrooms are balanced and that support is offered for challenging behaviors. It’s hard to teach when you’re trying to manage misbehaviors all day long.
Source: NEA
6. 76% of educators feel that lack of respect from parents and the public is a serious problem.
There is a lack of respect. How many times have teachers heard, “Oh wow! You get summers off!”? What most people don’t know is that teachers work over the summer to make up for their inadequate salaries. Teachers also have to handle mistrust from parents and the public. Books are being banned, lessons are being censored, and curriculum is being dictated by school boards all because the public doesn’t trust teachers to make decisions about them on their own. Let’s not forget to mention the overwhelming amount of helicopter parents that infiltrate our schools thinking that they know more about education than educators. When teachers are being restricted on so many levels and autonomy becomes obsolete, it’s no wonder so many are leaving the profession. If we listen to our teachers’ voices and rely on their experiences, our schools will be a much more positive and inviting place.
Source: NEA
7. 92% of educators support hiring more support staff.
We need more support. Not just administrators, but with paraprofessionals, playground aides, and other adults around campus. Support staff doesn’t only support the teachers, they also support the students. School districts should take a look at their funding and use allocated funds to get support from qualified individuals—not more computer programs.
Source: NEA
8. 84% of educators support hiring more counselors and school psychologists.
Most educators support hiring more counselors and school psychologists. Some school districts have laid off counselors during a time when more counselors are needed. Not only do students need more support, but teachers also need the help of counselors to support their students. Hiring more counselors and school psychologists can help to create a more positive school culture. Counselors can visit classrooms, teach lessons about social-emotional awareness, and be one more trusted adult for students to rely on.
Source: NEA
9. 94% of educators want more student health and behavioral support.
Since we’re seeing so many more challenging student behaviors, it’s evident that students need more health and behavioral support. Students need explicit instruction in how to handle emotions, how to deal with problems in social situations, and so much more. In today’s world, students are coming to school not only to learn academics, but also how to handle their emotions. Supporting students in these areas can help teachers have more productive learning time in their classrooms.
Source: NEA
10. 87% of educators support less standardized testing.
It’s understood that state testing is a federal mandate, but why do districts add more unnecessary testing to teachers’ already jam-packed schedules? If the district-mandated testing isn’t helping to inform instruction, then it has to go. We’d be much better off having more time to implement instructional strategies than giving a test just for the sake of giving a test.
Source: NEA
11. Only 10% of educators would strongly recommend the profession to a young adult.
Teachers are so unhappy that they wouldn’t recommend teaching as a profession. How can we get others into a profession if those currently teaching are telling them to stay away? Teachers are warning others that teaching is not an easy profession and that it’s not for everyone. Twenty-two percent of teachers surveyed said another reason they’d warn others to stay away is because the compensation and benefits are not sufficient.
Source: MDR
12. Only 30% of teachers are satisfied with their current position.
Adapting instruction due to the pandemic, while also keeping up with lesson planning, grading, student behaviors, and professional development, has left teachers less satisfied with their positions. Although teachers still enjoy working with children and sharing their knowledge, they’re not happy about the stress and lack of respect the profession is subject to.
Source: MDR
13. 65% of educators agree the bureaucracy interferes with teaching.
Administration and boards of education are out of touch with what actually happens in a classroom. They don’t know how to teach or how students learn. Teachers feel the enjoyment of learning has been sucked out of education with the need to push curriculum.
Source: MDR
14. 78% of teachers feel symptoms of stress and depression.
Teachers have been dealing with job-related stress due to instructional changes, teaching remotely, and supporting students’ social and emotional learning. The top sources of teacher stress were related to teaching in person and remotely at the same time during the pandemic. Having more structure and guidance from the administrative level could have helped to alleviate this stress.
Source: RAND Corporation
The good news is that some teachers, despite the stress, are staying, and it’s thanks to strong leadership. According to U.S. News & World Report, teachers who have felt supported by their school administration want to stay. Teachers are also staying if they feel they have a voice and are being heard in the decision-making process.
Want to learn more about how we can help prevent teacher shortages? Read up on creating a positive school culture and giving teachers voice and choice.
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FAQs
What percentage of teachers are leaving the profession in 2022? ›
Almost 2 in 5 teachers plan to quit in the next two years, according to a June survey of members of the American Federation of Teachers union.
Why are so many teachers quitting 2022? ›The survey points to multiple reasons for unhappiness, and those teachers who are considering leaving the profession cited burnout from stress (57%) and political attacks on teachers (40%), followed by a heavy workload compounded by staff shortages.
How can we solve teacher shortages? ›Increase Funding for Teachers and Schools
Federal or state grants might draw more prospective teachers to preparation programs in academic areas where there is a scarcity of teachers. Federal programs for college loan forgiveness might encourage more teachers to look for jobs in high-needs schools.
There is no national teacher shortage. Many classrooms have all the educators they need and in some cases never had vacancies to begin with. Yet shortages in many others persist. Staffing levels can vary significantly by state, district, school, subject and grade level.
Why are so many teachers quitting right now? ›Many of the predominant challenges teachers face, including safety concerns, low salaries, funding deficits and declining mental health, are not new issues — but the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has intensified existing problems within the profession.
What is the main reason teachers are quitting? ›The tension and responsibility that educators like Gillum faced during the pandemic — combined with long-standing issues plaguing the profession, plus the coarsening of debates about classroom control, teacher pay and respect — have caused many to make the tough choice to leave the classroom.
What state has the highest teacher shortage? ›For the 2022-2023 school year, Michigan had the most teacher shortages in math, science, world languages, health and physical fitness, art and music, language arts, English as a second language, special education, social studies and career and technical education, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Why are teachers leaving the profession 2023? ›Other common reasons cited for leaving include test-based accountability policies, lack of influence over school policies and practices, lack of autonomy in the classroom, inadequate opportunities to collaborate with colleagues, and inadequate opportunities for leadership or professional advancement—all symptoms of a ...
Is teacher burnout leading to teacher shortage? ›The combination of extra work and fewer resources has caused unprecedented teacher stress in the profession, which has increased teacher burnout. As a result of stress in the workplace, the education sector has lost educators to teacher burnout turnaround and caused the teacher shortage.
Why is teacher shortage a problem? ›Teacher turnover and shortages are among the most critical issues in education: Teachers are the number one in-school influence on student achievement and research shows that poor- quality teaching disrupts learning and has a negative impact on students' ability to graduate from school college- and career-ready.
How are schools addressing teacher shortages? ›
In the face of teacher shortages, some states are turning to unconventional strategies to fill vacancies, including relaxing certification requirements or recruiting from outside the education field or among retired educators.
How does teacher shortage affect students? ›The teacher shortage creates an unstable environment. This can be really tough for kids because they often need to adjust to changes before they can get around to learning. Even when students adjust to changes rather easily, disruptions in course organization, material, and instruction can severely disrupt learning.
Why does america have a teacher shortage? ›Low pay and high stress are, and have been for many years, the major barriers to meeting the national demand for teachers. A shortage of this nature––driven by poor pay and stressful working conditions––will not be ameliorated simply by increasing the potential number of qualified teachers.
How many teachers are leaving the profession in the US? ›Overall, more than 44 percent of new teachers leave the profession within five years.
What is the average teacher salary? ›Find out what the average Teacher salary is
The average teacher salary in Ireland is € 37 538 per year or € 19.25 per hour. Entry-level positions start at € 30 000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to € 48 812 per year.
While this statistic is alarming, it's nothing new, as for almost two decades now, experts have estimated that almost half of teachers quit within their first five years on the job.
What is a good age to retire from teaching? ›Using 30 to 35 years of service is a good rule of thumb for comparing pensions from various states. This means that someone who enters teaching before age 25 with a bachelor's and accumulates 30 or more years of service can usually retire sometime between age 55 and 60.
Which states pay teachers the least? ›Arizona ranks lowest in teacher salary when adjusted for cost of living and quality of life. The state with the lowest average teacher salary in the US is Mississippi, at around $48,000 a year.
Are more teachers leaving the profession? ›According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 44 percent of public schools will report teaching vacancies at the start of this year, with more than half due to resignations.
What type of teacher is most in demand? ›Which teaching subject is most in demand? While specific needs vary by institution, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are subjects that are always in high demand.
What state treats their teachers the best? ›
- New York. Score: 59.33. Read more: 5 ways leaders can support Hispanic talent in the workplace.
- Utah. Score: 57.38.
- Virginia. Score: 56.13.
- Florida. Score: 55.92.
- Washington. Score: 55.71.
- New Jersey. Score: 54.07.
- Pennsylvania. Score: 53.80.
- Massachusetts. Score: 53.21.
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Absolutely not. We believe that technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers will be transformational. The role of a teacher is not merely confined to imparting knowledge. It goes far beyond that.
How does teacher shortage affect society? ›These shortages in critical areas have a direct impact on educational opportunity for students, and research shows that educator shortages disproportionately impact students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students from rural communities.
Is it any wonder that there are teacher shortages daily? ›Hence the answer is yes. Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph G say that “Any experienced classroom practitioner knows that the series of initiatives on teaching and learning that successive governments have tried to foist on schools and colleges do not work.” Hence the answer is yes.
How can American public schools solve their teacher shortage? ›Nearly 90 percent said that better pay is the biggest factor in teacher retention. That is followed by better staffing and more manageable workloads; reducing class sizes; and stronger discipline policies and more student support programs, which included access to counselors and mental health professionals.
Why doesn't the US pay teachers more? ›A number of factors contribute to how far a teacher's salary goes—family structure, caregiving responsibilities, health issues, and student loans among them. While many teachers in the U.S. must work second jobs to live comfortably, plenty do not. Some of them live in states that pay better than others.
Are teachers in America underpaid? ›Teachers earn 23.5% less than comparable college graduates Public school teacher weekly wage penalty (or premium) for all teachers and by gender, 1979–2021.
Where are teachers going after they quit? ›Leadership roles in community service are often a good fit for people who've left the teaching profession. Many youth organizations and retirement communities have positions for people skilled at planning, coordinating, and leading fun recreational or educational activities.
What are the statistics about teachers? ›
74.3% of teachers are female, while just 25.7% are male. The average student/teacher ratio is 14:3. The majority of teachers (79.3%) are white, while 9.3% are Hispanic, 6.7% are Black or African American, and 2.1% are Asian. The average U.S. public school teacher's salary is $65,090.
What is the highest paid school teacher? ›| Rank | State | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $93,000 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $97,000 |
| 3 | New York | $89,000 |
| 4 | California | $83,000 |
Yes, educators absolutely do and can live well on a teacher's salary. It's all about what you value. If after reading this post you feel that teaching is not the best career choice for you, that's fine. It's good to know what you want vs.
What country do teachers get paid the most? ›According to an OECD report, Luxembourg (a European country) has the highest-paid teachers in the world.
What percentage of teachers are quitting? ›Overall, more than 44 percent of new teachers leave the profession within five years.
What percentage of teachers are considering leaving the profession? ›Dive Brief: Thirty percent of surveyed educators said they plan to leave the education profession within the next three years, while another 33% said they would “maybe” do the same, according to a report released Wednesday by Horace Mann Educators Corp., a financial services company that focuses on educators.
What percentage of teachers leave the profession each year? ›Typically, 8 percent of teachers leave the profession every year.
Is being a teacher worth it 2022? ›Increased teaching shortages during the 2020-2021 academic year have heightened the demand for quality teachers heading into 2022. If you have been considering a career in teaching, now is the ideal time to work toward that goal.
Why are people not going into teaching? ›On one hand, it's possible fewer people went into teaching because they didn't like the transition to virtual learning or didn't feel comfortable in schools. But it's also possible more people entered teaching thanks to states' temporarily waiving or permanently reducing their licensure requirements.
What do teachers do after they quit? ›Leadership roles in community service are often a good fit for people who've left the teaching profession. Many youth organizations and retirement communities have positions for people skilled at planning, coordinating, and leading fun recreational or educational activities.
Are teachers leaving the profession in droves? ›
Young teachers in NSW are quitting lucrative permanent positions at the highest rate in 13 years, with one in nine now leaving the profession within five years.
What are the effects of teacher shortage? ›The Impact of Teacher Shortages. Teacher shortages can significantly depress student achievement, as schools often cancel courses due to vacancies or staff classes with substitutes and underprepared teachers who are not certified to teach their subject matter.
Will teachers still be needed in the future? ›If you're currently considering attending school to get a teaching degree or teaching licensure, you're in luck. Good teachers are needed the world over. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimates that we'll need 69 million new teachers by 2030 to meet global education goals.
Will there be a strong demand for teachers in the future? ›Job Outlook
Employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 77,900 openings for high school teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.