In Demand: The Real Teacher Shortages and How to Solve Them

Are there widespread teacher shortages in U.S. public education? Recent headlines suggest there are. But a closer look at school staffing trends in recent years yields a different story, one with important consequences for education policymakers.

In this report, EducationCounsel Principal Sandi Jacobs, with support from FutureEd senior fellow Lynn Olson, analyzes pre-pandemic teacher supply and demand trends, identifies new staffing questions raised by the Covid crisis, and offers policy recommendations to help states and school districts address schools’ true human capital needs to ensure that all students—especially those too often marginalized and underserved—are taught by effective educators.