Teaching Conditions: Teacher Shortages

In the wake of ongoing teacher shortages, many states are announcing reduced requirements for training and education for classroom educators. Teachers are sharing concerns that this development may add strain to their workload.

  • “In reading about the states dropping teacher training requirements to address the shortage, I’m just baffled at the stupidity. Those teachers will still get trained, but now it’s just going to be by already overworked classroom teachers trying to mentor their colleagues.” —High School ELA Teacher in Washington
    • “Those states are taking the shortcut route to getting bodies into the classroom. In the end, this will likely increase turnover rates for new hires because of inadequate support and drive out more current teachers by adding more to their plate. It’s a futile approach.” —High School ELA Teacher in Washington
  • “I just heard about a proposal to fill staff shortages with unqualified teachers, and I’d like to amend it to suggest we begin with unqualified dentists, nurses, oncologists, and heart surgeons, because if we put unqualified teachers in classrooms we’ll wind up there anyway.” —Educator in Nebraska
  • “We will be going ‘back to school’ whether a school is fully staffed (very unlikely) or has 500 openings, so schools will: a. have permanent subs (but there aren’t enough subs) b. lower the qualifications needed c. increase class sizes d. have teachers/staff cover classes.” —High School Teacher in New Jersey
  • “There’s a nurse shortage…let’s lower the qualifications. There’s an engineering shortage…let’s lower the qualifications. There’s a pilot shortage…let’s lower the qualifications. If this sounds illogical, how does it make sense for teachers?” —School Leader in Indiana 
    • “It doesn’t. On the job training will require experienced teachers to train the new ones. Just another thing being put on us.” —High School Social Studies Teacher
  • “Remember when y’all told all the teachers they should quit if they didn’t like the crappy pay and public hate? They took your advice..” —Post-Secondary Educator in Texas
    • “And the worst part is those teachers who decided to stay are going to have to pick up the slack for the vacancies. Classes will either be split or you have a long-term sub which means other teachers are doing all their planning etc.” —Elementary Teacher in Texas