The Teacher Shortage
Across the country, severe teacher shortages, especially in small towns and urban areas, have resulted in a compromised public school education system. Teachers who have an emergency credential or an out-of-field credential are commonplace in the schools due to the teacher shortage. Nearly half of public school teachers have neither a college major nor a minor in their primary field.
Due to growing student enrollments and escalating teacher retirements, education and policy experts estimate the teacher shortage will create 150,000 to 250,000 openings for teachers in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that over the next ten years the nation will need 2.2 million additional teachers.
Because of the teacher shortage in specific high-need areas, many find that they can get temporary per diem teaching certificates if they have pertinent education and/or job experience in a subject area. This allows them to start teaching while gradually taking classes toward their permanent teacher certification.
Check with your state Department of Education to find out whether teacher shortages have opened up any possibilities for you to teach, and what emergency licensing options they might have for you.
The teacher shortage has created a greater demand for:
- Bilingual/ESL teachers
- Foreign language teachers
- Special Education teachers
- Mathematics and Science teachers
- Urban and rural school teachers
- Teachers of color
- Male teachers
Specialties that currently have an adequate number of qualified teachers include general elementary education, physical education, and social studies. Teachers who obtain licensure in more than one subject should have a distinct advantage in finding a job.