Most surveyed California districts faced increased teacher vacancies over pre-COVID-19 years and greater difficulty filling them¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2027: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Eight of 12 surveyed districts faced an increased number of vacancies over pre-COVID-19 years and greater challenges filling positions, with six districts still needing to fill 10% or more of vacancies at study time. → Carver-Thomas 2022

Evidence¶

Carver-Thomas 2022¶

Carver-Thomas, D., Burns, D., Leung, M., & Ondrasek, N. (2022). Teacher shortages during the pandemic: How California districts are responding. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/899.809

q2 · i? · associational · r1

Open-ended survey of 12 California districts (eight largest plus four small rural) conducted August–September 2021 via email, phone, and video call. The report states "8 of 12" districts faced increased vacancies and six still had to fill "10% or more" of total vacancies. No effect size is printed.

"Most districts surveyed for this study (8 of 12) faced an increased number of vacancies over pre-COVID-19 years and experienced greater challenges in filling these positions. At the time of this study, six districts indicated they still had to fill 10% or more of their total vacancies."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Three out of four surveyed California districts reported teacher shortages in fall 2016, and most said shortages were worsening — related
• Increased retirements and resignations contributed to shortages in most large districts surveyed — related
• Staffing challenges persisted for state preschool and Head Start classrooms, with vacancy rates of 5% and 11% that increased from the prior year — related
• Every surveyed district filled some vacancies with underprepared teachers, and substandard credentials nearly tripled from 2012–13 to 2019–20 — related
• 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
• 77% of school principals and district leaders reported challenges hiring enough substitute teachers during the pandemic, more than for any other staffing position — related
• Michigan's teacher vacancy data are severely underreported, with nearly 90% of districts reporting zero vacancies in 2021-22 — related
• Fresno’s Skillful Leader Project improved teacher retention and hiring — related
• District leaders report pandemic-era teacher workloads have at least doubled, contributing to burnout concerns and earlier-than-planned retirements — related
• Schools reporting hiring difficulties are almost twice as likely to have above-average teacher turnover rates — related
• Shortage districts fill vacancies with substandard-credential teachers (55%), substitutes (24%), and out-of-field assignments (22%), with high-poverty districts using substandard credentials most — related
• Districts report severe substitute teacher shortages during the pandemic, straining remaining teachers who must cover absent colleagues' classes — related