BY: Amanda Vilus 

Executive Summary

The United States is facing a national teacher shortage. Statistics show that by the middle of the year 2025 there will be a combination of unfilled teacher roles and educators lacking full certification amounted to over 410,000 positions. That’s roughly 1 in 8 teaching jobs in public K-12 schools. In some districts, the inability to find qualified teachers is so dire that anyone who passes a background check gets hired, even without holding a relevant degree. Variables that contribute to this shortage are burnout, low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of support. 

States Facing the Worst Teacher Shortages: Florida, Georgia, and Alabama Lead the Nation 

Florida leads with the most vacancies in teacher positions with approximately 3,900-5,000 vacancies. Contributing factors include low pay, high stress, and lack of support. Florida consistently ranks low in average teacher pay, and teachers report that there is a high level of stress they are facing due to the large class sizes, demanding workloads and increased pressure related to standardized testing. Trailing behind Florida is Georgia with approximately 3,100 vacancies. Shortages in Georgia are particularly high in special education and in districts with majority black and low-income student populations. A large percentage of the vacancies are due to teachers leaving the profession, because of low salaries, difficult working conditions and insufficient support. Teachers with less preparation are reported to be more likely to leave. Despite recent pay increases inflation has reduced their impact and teacher salaries may not be competitive with other fields. Consequences of the shortage have led to larger class sizes which lead to less individualized attention for students. 

Other states experiencing teacher shortage is Alabama, this happening because of a “new peak” in teacher retirements. A total of 3,570 teachers along with K-12 education employees retired this year of 2025 up from 3,094 in 2024. This peak of retirement is surpassing retirement numbers seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a shortage of teachers in subjects in particular like special education, math, science and computer science. There are financial disincentives where the salaries are not matching the professions and require similar education levels and inadequate resources can hinder teachers’ ability to perform their jobs effectively. Other states with high vacancies are Mississippi, West Virginia, Maine, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nevada and Hawaii. 

Teacher Shortage Highlights: 

• Florida: 3,900-5,000 open roles 
• Georgia: 3,100 vacancies, especially in special education 
• Alabama: Teacher retirements at a record high (3,570 in 2025)

Impacted Areas 

The teacher shortage hits hardest in high-poverty, predominately minority districts. These schools are far more likely to employ uncertified or inexperienced teachers which amplify educational inequities. Rural districts struggle due to low tax bases and distance from educator preparation programs, leading to unstable staffing and heavy reliance on out-of-field teachers. Urban schools, particularly in New Jersey’s Paterson district report severe disruptions, science classes staffed by substitutes or remote lessons resulting in learning loss and widened achievement gaps. 

Who’s most affected? 

• High-poverty, minority districts 
• Rural areas with low tax bases 
• Urban schools like Paterson, NJ, relying on subs or remote lessons 

Root Causes

Teacher attrition accounts for 90% of staffing demand. A lack of support for new teachers, inadequate mentoring, limited professional developments, and overwhelming job demands. In low-income communities, shortages stem from teachers leaving the professions for factors like low salaries and difficult working conditions. Another cause of this is low pipeline numbers. Enrollment in teacher-prep programs remains low in many states which reduce the supply of new teachers. 

Policy Solutions 

Several states are experimenting with innovative policies to address teacher shortages. These strategies aim to improve retention, build teacher pipelines, and incentivize qualified individuals to enter or stay in the profession. 

Promising Solutions Include: 

• Teacher Residency Programs: Modeled after medical residencies, these programs offer pre-certification training, mentorship, and stipends. States like Texas and Massachusetts have seen high retention rates and improved student outcomes. 
• “Grow Your Own” Initiatives: These programs build pipelines from within local communities – recruiting high school students, paraprofessionals, and others already connected to the school system. 
  • Tennessee, Nebraska, and South Dakota have implemented such models
  • Tennessee reports a 75% five-year retention rate. 
  • Alaska’s University of Fairbanks version incorporates local knowledge into training and curriculum, 

• Competitive Compensation: 
  • Newark raised starting teacher salaries to $67,000
  • Alabama is offering financial incentives and stronger mentorship programs. 
  • States are also working to reduce excessive workloads and improve school working conditions 

• • Targeted Incentives for High-Need Roles Many states now offer:
    • Additionally pay for teachers in high-need schools or subjects like special education, math, and science 
    • Salary increases for experienced teachers to encourage retention 

• Loan Forgiveness Programs: Arizona introduces student-loan forgiveness for those committing to teach in the state’s K-12 schools. 

• • • Note: A recent budget cut may limit the accessibility to this program 
• Alternative Certification Pathways: These allow individuals with relevant professional experience to begin teaching while completing their certification requirements. 

Conclusion 

The teacher shortage in the U.S. is a multifaceted crisis impacting more severely states like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska and among others. Along with high-need districts located in rural and low-income urban communities. The two main drivers are insufficient pay, and insufficient new teacher supply. 

Policymakers must act through sustainable, evidence based strategies like preparation pipelines, fair compensation, strong support and better data systems. These approaches hold promise to shrink the vacancy gap while safeguarding education quality.

Learn more: 

• 2025 Teacher Vacancies by State in the US 
• S.2417 Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2023