Eric.ed.gov – Addressing California’s Growing Teacher Shortage: 2017 Update

In a January 2016 report on teacher shortages in California, “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions,” the Learning Policy Institute found that there were too few qualified California teachers to meet the growing demand of school districts across the state. A fall 2016 survey of more than 200 California districts revealed that 75% of districts were experiencing teacher shortages, and the vast majority said those shortages were getting worse. Most of those districts reported responding to shortage conditions by hiring teachers with substandard credentials or permits–that is, teachers who have not yet completed the subject matter and teacher preparation requirements for a full credential. In this update, the authors show that, consistent with school district survey data, teacher workforce trends have worsened in the past year, with especially severe consequences in special education, math, and science, and significant threats in bilingual education. Recent investments in the California state budget hold promise for bolstering the teacher workforce within the next 5 to 7 years but will not lessen the shortages occurring now. To address the shortfalls, more immediate solutions would be needed. [For “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions,” see ED606333. For two related research briefs, see “California Special Education Teacher Shortages Grow More Severe” (ED606780) and “California Teacher Workforce Trends Signal Worsening Shortages” (ED606781).]