Teacher shortages are real, but not for the reason you heard
Everywhere, it seems, the return to school has been shadowed by worries of a teacher shortage
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Everywhere, it seems, back-to-school has been shadowed by worries of a teacher shortage.
The U.S. education secretary has called for investment to keep teachers from quitting. A teachers union leader has described it as a five-alarm emergency. News coverage has warned of a crisis in teaching.
In reality, there is little evidence to suggest teacher turnover has increased nationwide or educators are leaving in droves.
Certainly, many schools have struggled to find enough educators. But the challenges are related more to hiring, especially for non-teaching staff positions. Schools flush with federal pandemic relief money are creating new positions and struggling to fill them at a time of low unemployment and stiff competition for workers of all kinds.
