Are You Prepared for the Teacher Recession?

In the past year we have seen an alarming amount of studies and trends that indicate the teacher shortage is here to stay. When we look at the data carefully it shows that the teacher “recession” will impact the staffing needs of our schools and the training and quality of teachers prepared for Christian education.

Two studies in 2022, one by Merrimack College and one done jointly by Brown University and the University of Albany, have produced some alarming findings concerning teacher satisfaction and the future of education.

• 44% of current teachers plan to leave the profession in the next two years.

• 42% of teachers feel their job stress is worth the time and effort they put into the profession. That is down from 81% in the 70’s.

• 1 in 4 teachers are leaving the classroom to pursue a new career.

• Interest in the profession from high school seniors and college freshman is down 50% since the 90's and down 38% since 2010.

• Enrollment in teacher-preparation programs have declined by 30-35% over the last 10 years.

• Beginning teachers with little to no preparation are 2 ½ times more likely to leave the profession after one year.

• New teachers who are not mentored leave the profession at a rate of 2x's more than those who are mentored.

There is also a concerning trend in Christian higher education institutions as well. Recently I attended a meeting that discussed some of the Christian colleges and universities that are struggling with enrollment in their teacher training programs. Some have even closed the door on their master’s and doctoral programs in education and teaching. Many propose that Covid is at fault, but according to these studies the trends began before the pandemic.

The exodus from the profession and the decline in young people interested in the teaching profession will limit the talent pool. The struggles with enrollment in Christian training schools makes those trained in biblical integration an even smaller group to choose from. This means that Christian schools will need to hire more teachers whose only personal educational experience is from secular environments. These candidates may be experienced teachers looking to leave the public schools, or untrained teachers who are looking for a career change.

The reality is that Christian school administrators need to be prepared to train teachers on the job. Even more important, we need to be prepared to see more teachers joining our faculties who require training in Bible knowledge and integration. This training is a must to provide quality Christian education for our students and retain our teachers.

Now is the time to plan how your school will deal with the teacher shortage and the unique distinctive needs of Christian schooling. Teacher retention, recruitment and training are all essential and need to be planned for. Have you planned your PD events for next year to include biblical knowledge, worldview, and how to integrate in all aspects of the school culture? Do you have a plan for mentoring and supporting first year teachers that is sustainable and will work? Leverage Educational Services is available to help you meet these goals.

Next Month – Why Teachers Leave and What We Can Do About It!

Sources:

www.learningpolicyinstitute.org

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/teacher-job-satisfaction-hits-an-all-time-low/2022/04

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-status-of-the-teaching-profession-is-at-a-50-year-low-what-can-we-do-about-it/2022/11