When looking at teacher shortages, you have to look at the United States as a group. In the past few years, it has not been that bad because some states produce more teachers than they need that would make up for the states that had a shortage. But when you have a crisis in the biggest state with 3.2 million students and 295,000 teachers it will affect all states.
Here is where California stands today according to a recent Washington Post article:
- 74% drop in students attending College of Education over the last 10 years
- 3900 open positions at start of school year – triple what it was 3 years ago
- Provisional and emergency up from 850 to 2400 over the last 2 years
- Estimated new hires increased by 25% in two years
- Math science and Sped highest need
- Fully prepared teachers in math and science dropped by 32% and 14% in last four years
- CA needed 4500 new SPED teachers but produced only 2200
- Twice as many high needs students were taught by emergency cert compared to
- California has limited – almost non-existent- alternative certification programs
