Topic: Teacher Workforce Policy

Overview

Teacher Workforce Policy
State Policies to Elevate the Profession and Address Shortages

The most important thing schools can do for students’ education is ensure they have good teachers. States need a strong teacher workforce to increase student learning and to build a stronger economy. SREB helps state leaders address teacher shortages and improve policies that affect teachers across their careers — including recruiting, supporting and retaining great teachers.

A Comprehensive Approach to Teacher Workforce Policy

Click on an area below to explore publications, resources, data and more.

PreparationLicensure & CertificationGrowth & SupportCompensation

These four elements support teachers at every stage of their careers — from candidates and early career teachers, to professional teachers and teacher leaders

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Teacher Workforce Data

A magnifying glass on top of a clipboard and papers that show various graphs and charts.To address teacher shortages, elevate the profession, and fuel the economy, a key first step is unpacking the data.

SREB supports efforts to collect and use data to inform policy and practice as part of building, supporting, and maintaining a strong educator workforce. 

Explore our data collections on teacher pipelines and teacher compensation:

Publication September 2024 | 16 pages

Teacher Career Pathways and Advancement Options

We need more high-quality pathways to ensure a skilled teacher workforce so that all students have prepared, certified teachers in every class. This report reviews the data on teacher shortages and quality and shows the four main pathways into the profession. It details the essential elements of quality teacher career pathways and offers examples  to look toward from states around the nation.

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Publication May 2024
Since the pandemic, Teacher vacancies rose, Teacher retention declined,  Applicants decreased

Teacher Labor Market Trends
Insights From Two Southern States

Teacher shortages, high turnover rates and declining interest in the teaching profession have proven difficult for policymakers to address. These concerns are even more dire in Southern states. 

Partnering with researchers at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education, SREB studied data in Kentucky and Tennessee on teacher labor market trends over the last decade. This online report features seven findings with interactive charts.  

Publication April 2022 | 16 pages
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A Blueprint to Solve Teacher Shortages

Imagine a world where more great people enter teaching, stay in the profession, and get better and better. How do we achieve this?

This report offers insight on how to elevate the profession by renovating policies that affect the teacher workforce. With lessons from SREB states that have forged comprehensive plans, it covers pathways and preparation, licensing, mentoring and support, and compensation structures. The report also includes data on shortages, what causes them and how they hurt our economy.

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