Teacher shortages disproportionately impact students in priority and highest-need California schools, which have fewer fully credentialed and more inexperienced teachers¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (3 entries) · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2029: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q3 i? In 2022–23, 83% of teacher FTEs in priority schools were fully credentialed compared to 87% in non-priority schools, and priority schools were nearly twice as likely to fill positions with interns or ineffective teachers. → Carver-Thomas 2024 q3 i? Highest-need schools had 84% fully credentialed teacher FTEs versus 90% in lowest-need schools, with 11% versus 4% interns or ineffective — nearly three times the proportion. → Carver-Thomas 2024 (2) q3 i? Fewer than half (49%) of inexperienced math teacher FTEs were fully credentialed in highest-need schools compared to 70% in lowest-need schools. → Carver-Thomas 2024 (3)

Evidence¶

Carver-Thomas 2024¶

Carver-Thomas, D., Leung-Gagné, M., & Jeannite, D. (2024). Tackling teacher shortages: What we know about California's teacher workforce investments. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/137.196

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Analysis of California Department of Education Teaching Assignment Monitoring Outcomes data for 2022–23 comparing priority and non-priority schools. The report finds "83% of teacher full-time equivalents (fTEs) in priority schools were fully credentialed" versus 87% in non-priority schools.

"In 2022–23, the most recent year with available data, 83% of teacher full-time equivalents (fTEs) in priority schools were fully credentialed with clear or preliminary credentials for their teaching positions (see figure 3). In comparison, 87% of teacher fTEs were fully credentialed in non-priority schools."

Carver-Thomas 2024 (2)¶

Carver-Thomas, D., Leung-Gagné, M., & Jeannite, D. (2024). Tackling teacher shortages: What we know about California's teacher workforce investments. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/137.196

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Same 2022–23 assignment-monitoring analysis comparing highest-need (top 10% unduplicated pupil count) and lowest-need schools. Highest-need schools had "just 84% fully credentialed teacher fTEs compared to 90% in the lowest-need schools."

"The state's highest-need schools had just 84% fully credentialed teacher fTEs compared to 90% in the lowest-need schools (see figure 4). In the highest-need schools, 11% of teacher fTEs were interns or ineffective compared to just 4% in the lowest-need schools, nearly three times the proportion."

Carver-Thomas 2024 (3)¶

Carver-Thomas, D., Leung-Gagné, M., & Jeannite, D. (2024). Tackling teacher shortages: What we know about California's teacher workforce investments. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/137.196

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Analysis of credential-type distribution among inexperienced (2 or fewer years) math teacher FTEs in 2022–23, shown in Figure 6. Disparities were "especially pronounced among inexperienced math teachers," with similar but less pronounced patterns in science.

"fewer than half (49%) of inexperienced math teacher fTEs were fully credentialed in the highest-need schools compared to 70% in the lowest-need schools (see figure 6). A full 42% of inexperienced math teachers in the highest-need schools were identified as interns or ineffective compared to 19% of inexperienced teachers in the lowest-need schools."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• U.S. teacher shortages are nationwide and worsening, with over 300,000 positions unfilled or filled by uncertified teachers in 2023 — a broader claim this one bears on
• In Michigan districts where most students are Black, students are far more likely than peers in majority-white districts to have inexperienced or out-of-field teachers — related
• Most survey respondents said the GSTG influenced their decision to pursue teaching, complete preparation, and teach in a priority school, with strongest perceived impacts among candidates of color — related
• New California credentials stagnated at about 11,500 per year while estimated annual hires exceeded 20,000, so demand far outpaced supply — related
• Approximately four fifths of LEAs reported not having enough qualified staff to teach TK — related
• California LEAs reported sufficient fully qualified TK lead teachers in 2022–23 but high second-adult vacancies, and projected needing 1,489 more TK lead teachers and 962 more aides in 2023–24 — related
• TK staffing shortages improved: TK assistant teacher vacancies fell from 12% to 3%, and 91% of LEAs reported enough lead teachers meeting 2025–26 requirements — related
• Residencies recruit a more diverse teacher workforce than typical entry pathways — related