Where Do Teachers Want To Teach? And Why?
Last month, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on the status of the American teaching profession, emphasizing the urgent need for policy changes. Chairman Bernie Sanders noted that, because of widespread teacher shortages, “some 300,000 teaching positions—nearly 10% of all teaching positions nationwide—have been left vacant or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments.” He, and several other members of the committee, attributed these shortages to the fact that “for decades, public school teachers have been overworked, underpaid, understaffed, and maybe most importantly, under appreciated.”
Teacher shortages have been front and center in the news for a number of years, deepening during the pandemic, and continuing to be a huge issue in many states. Yet, as in all things, states differ in their education policies and in the ways that teachers are prepared, compensated, and supported. These differences can result in dramatically different levels of student access to a diverse, stable, and well-qualified educator workforce across the country.
The Learning Policy Institute has just published an interactive map and brief that provide a look at more than 40 variables that are associated with the attractiveness of teaching in each state and the extent to which prepared and experienced teachers are equitably distributed to schools serving different populations of students. The results show striking differences across states that are associated with distinctive policy contexts. The good news is that this means that current shortages can be addressed by thoughtful policy. The challenging reality is that there are many barriers to overcome in many places across the country — and that both state and federal actions will be needed to ensure that all students get the kind of teaching they need and deserve.
Both state and federal actions will be needed to ensure that all students get the kind of teaching they need and deserve.
States Vary Greatly in Attractiveness to Teachers
Much can be learned about individual states and their unique situations by using the many different indicators the map provides. In terms of teaching attractiveness, Florida has the lowest rating overall. The data included in the map show that, although its salaries are not among the lowest in the country, they are not competitive with other fields: In 2023, teachers were paid 79.6% of what other college-educated workers in the state were paid. In addition, public school funding in Florida is now at one of the lowest levels in the country, which affects other teaching conditions such as class size and the amount of support staff available. (For example, Florida has a lower ratio of counselors to students than almost every other state.) Florida teachers also have less access to mentors when they enter teaching and to professional development overall than those in many other states.
Florida has one of the highest teacher attrition rates in the country (12% leave the profession each year) and one of the highest dissatisfaction rates among teachers: Another 12% say they plan to leave teaching as soon as they can. More teachers in Florida strongly agree that they are dissatisfied with their job than in any other state except Louisiana. Most Florida teachers do not feel that they have control over key classroom decisions or that evaluation is fair. Because of sanctions that accompany the state’s test-based accountability system, they are more likely than teachers in other states to say they worry about their job security because of student test performance. A substantial majority of principals say it is currently difficult to fill vacancies with qualified individuals.
Florida has recently been in the news for its legislation prohibiting teachers from discussing issues of race, gender identity, and sexual orientation in the classroom. Book bans have also restricted teachers’ autonomy. HB1069 required that teachers register their classroom books with the district so that they could be reviewed. A recent Florida study of 650 teacher exit interviews summarized leavers’ sentiments. As one Tampa teacher noted, “(M)any teachers are leaving due to insufficient pay and overbearing statewide legislation that is making teaching … in Florida, a daunting experience.”
Read the full post on the Learning Policy Institute’s website.
Tags: AACTE partner organizations, data, research, shortage, State issues
