Increased retirements and resignations contributed to shortages in most large districts surveyed¶

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? Five of eight large districts reported that increased retirements and resignations contributed to having more vacancies than usual. → 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

District survey responses collected August–September 2021. The report prints descriptive changes — retirements up "nearly a quarter," resignations "about two thirds," leaves "about 50%" in one large district — but no standardized effect size. A district administrator attributed increased retirements partly to burnout from distance learning.

"Five out of eight large districts reported that increased retirements and resignations contributed to having more vacancies than usual. In one large district, retirements in the 2020–21 school year increased by nearly a quarter compared to the 2018–19 school year, resignations increased by about two thirds, and leaves of absence increased by about 50%."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Three out of four surveyed California districts reported teacher shortages in fall 2016, and most said shortages were worsening — related
• Most surveyed California districts faced increased teacher vacancies over pre-COVID-19 years and greater difficulty filling them — related
• California's teacher workforce is aging, with about 40% age 50 or older and 14% age 60 or older — related
• About 75% of surveyed California districts report a shortage of qualified teachers for 2016-17, and over 80% of these say shortages have worsened since 2013-14 — related
• Michigan's teacher vacancy data are severely underreported, with nearly 90% of districts reporting zero vacancies in 2021-22 — related
• Retirements and resignations rose in some districts during the pandemic and leaders expect higher retirement rates next year — related
• District leaders report pandemic-era teacher workloads have at least doubled, contributing to burnout concerns and earlier-than-planned retirements — related
• Districts report severe substitute teacher shortages during the pandemic, straining remaining teachers who must cover absent colleagues' classes — related