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Providing all students with excellent educators is one of the most important drivers of a well-functioning education system—a system that must prepare diverse students to participate in today’s knowledge-driven economy. However, many states are facing a teacher shortage that threatens their ability to deliver a quality education to all children. Shortages are most severe in certain fields (special education, math, science, and bilingual education) and in high-poverty districts and schools, where students most need highly skilled teachers.

The nation’s population and students have grown more racially and ethnically diverse, but the teaching workforce has not experienced similar demographic shifts. This brief summarizes the results of a study of the recruitment, employment, and retention of minority k-12 teachers, examining the extent and sources of the minority teacher shortage and offering evidence-based solutions to addressing the low proportion of minority teachers in comparison to the increasing numbers of minority students in the school system.

Fewer young people choosing to enter the teaching profession and high attrition rates are contributing to teacher shortages. School districts throughout the country are having difficulty finding enough qualified teachers to fill open positions, especially in schools serving low-income students and students of color. This brief summarizes research on teacher recruitment and retention, identifies key factors that influence decisions to enter, stay in, or leave the profession, and offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers.

This brief summarizes an analysis of the scope of teacher shortages being experienced throughout the country and discusses the causes and consequences of the shortages. Shortages are particularly severe in special education, mathematics, science, and bilingual/English learner education, and in locations with lower wages and poorer working conditions. This brief also provides recommendations of local, state, and federal policies to support the recruitment and retention of a quality teacher workforce.

How states experience the teacher shortage depends on their unique mix of policies, conditions, and even cost of living. This interactive map provides a state-by-state look at key indicators of teacher supply and demand and the equitable distribution of teachers. States and the District of Columbia receive a teaching attractiveness rating, based on compensation, teacher turnover, working conditions, and qualifications, and a teacher equity rating, based on the distribution of uncertified and inexperienced teachers.