State-by-state teacher shortages (and what they’re doing about it)
FILE: This year, the U.S. Department of Education recognized educational facilities from 45 states as “Blue Ribbon” schools. (Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — Recruiting veterans and first responders. Offering $60,000 starting salaries. Providing student loan forgiveness. Helping with mortgages.
Every state in the country is coming up with solutions to combat the teacher shortage.
Across the country, there are 36,000 teacher vacancies, from kindergarten through high school, and another 163,000 teachers aren’t qualified for their jobs, according to data collected by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. The shortage is so impactful, some schools have resorted to untraditional concepts such as switching to four-day school weeks.
Curious about what your state is doing to solve its teacher shortage? Wondering if you may have the opportunity to become a teacher because of state reforms? Below is a list of the teacher shortages in every state, what the state is doing about them, and whether that state will accept an out-of-state teaching license.
It’s important to note some data may be incomplete. While some states track teacher vacancies, many do not require their school districts to report shortages, or do not have real-time or year-over-year data for comparison.
Alabama
The Alabama Teacher Shortage Task Force found in 2019 that 30% of all classrooms are being taught by educators teaching out of their field. The state had more than 1,700 high school teachers with emergency certificates. Teachers in Alabama are paid 72% of what college graduates in other professions earn in the state.
Teacher shortage solutions
Alabama’s governor this year signed a budget that would increase teacher salaries as much as 21% based on experience. The state launched a recruitment web site, WeTeachAlabama.com, along with a series of changes that include expanding the process of getting a teaching certificate faster, and increased pay for rural teachers.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, though only in specific cases, including if the certification at that grade level is similar to Alabama’s requirements.
Alaska
Teacher shortage
Alaska has about 7,400 teachers and about 1,100 openings, according to Alaska Teacher Placement. “We’re in the worst place with this that Alaska has ever seen,” Lisa Parady, executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, told the Anchorage Daily News.
Teacher shortage solutions
Alaska started building a teacher recruitment plan in 2020. This year, the state began to implement a half-dozen ways to recruit and retain new teachers, including changing the retirement options, creating a pathway to teacher for student aides, and streamlining the certification process.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
No. In Alaska, someone must hold a valid Alaska teaching certificate in order to work as a teacher in a public school district.
Arizona
Teacher shortage
A survey from the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA) found that the teacher shortage has continued for a seventh year in Arizona, with more than 9,600 teaching positions open for the 2022-23 school year. According to data from the ASPAA, roughly 26% of teacher vacancies across the state are unfilled, while more than 41% of the vacancies are filled by teachers who do not meet Arizona’s standard certification requirements.
Teacher shortage solutions
Education Forward Arizona says schools in the state use a variety of short-term strategies to help remedy teacher shortages. Their approaches include divvying up students across classes, hiring long-term substitute teachers, asking existing teachers to give up planning periods and take on other classes, and recruiting people who may know certain subjects well but do not have teaching experience.
Arizona has also taken steps to attract new teachers to the state. The Arizona Teachers Academy offers prospective teachers at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Scottsdale Community College, Pima Community College and Rio Salado College to have their college loans forgiven if they agree to teach in Arizona schools.
What’s missing? While the state approved a 20% raise for teachers in 2020, advocacy groups still appear to agree that low teacher pay is a top issue in Arizona.
“Arizona teacher pay remains one of the lowest in the country, even with the recent education budget increase,” ASPAA wrote in September. “Arizona children deserve the best teachers and a stable workforce. School districts and charter schools compete nationally for the limited pool of candidates. The inability to offer competitive salaries severely limits public schools from attracting the best and the brightest to Arizona.”
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
The Arizona Department of Education’s Certification Unit says the state will reciprocate with all states and may do so by issuing comparable teaching, administrative or professional nonteaching certificates to teachers who hold valid certificates and are in good standing in their current state.
Arkansas
Teacher shortage
Arkansas has experienced a teacher shortage for many years, a spokesperson with the state’s Department of Education told NewsNation. The state has identified specific subjects significantly impacted by the shortages: special education (K-12), foreign language (K-12), secondary mathematics and science (7-12), art and music (K-12), social studies (7-12), and computer science (4-12).
Teacher shortage solutions
The state of Arkansas is promoting financial incentives tied to different areas impacted by shortages. The State Teacher Education Program (STEP) offers annual loan repayment grants to current educators teaching in a subject or location experiencing shortages within Arkansas public schools. Arkansas teachers who have worked for five years in a school serving low-income families may be eligible to receive up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness. To attract new teachers, the state’s TEACH Grant program gives grants to students completing coursework necessary to become an educator if they agree to teach in a high-need field or in a school serving low-income families.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Whether Arkansas accepts teaching licenses from out of state appears to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Teachers must apply for the state’s reciprocity program. Active-duty service members, returning military veterans, and their spouses automatically have an equivalent license if their out-of-state license is in good standing.
California
Teacher shortage
California needs around 100,000 teachers to give the state’s students a high-quality education, the California School Boards Association told ABC10 in September. TEACH California, the California Department of Education’s online effort to recruit teachers, says California faces a shortage of special education, math and science teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
The state of California has invested $500 million to attract new teachers, counselors, social workers and psychologists to schools in need through the California Student Aid Commission’s Golden State Teacher Grant program. The state also has a $1.5 billion Educator Effectiveness Block Grant to help teachers earn certain credentials or certifications in high-need topics such as accelerated and social-emotional learning. Financial aid is available for people meeting eligibility requirements who want to obtain their teaching credentials.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Teachers with an out-of-state license may be granted a similar license to teach in California pending an approved application, academic records and a criminal background check, according to TEACH California.
Colorado
Teacher shortage
According to the Colorado Department of Education’s 2021-2022 state-level summary, roughly 5,700 teachers needed to be hired for 2021-22, along with more than 300 open principal and assistant principal positions and 2,000 paraprofessional positions. Statewide shortages were highest in the following subjects: special education, math, science, world languages, and early childhood education.
Teacher shortage solutions
Through Colorado’s Educator Recruitment and Retention Program, qualified teachers can apply for up to $10,000 in financial aid toward their preparation program costs if they commit to teaching in a shortage area for three years.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
The Colorado Department of Education says teaching licenses do not transfer to Colorado across state lines. Teachers holding a valid standard teaching license that matches the requirements issued by Colorado, and having three years of post-preparation and full-time experience in the state and in the specific subject within the past seven years, may be eligible for a Colorado license when the identical endorsement is requested.
Connecticut
Teacher shortage
While the Connecticut Department of Education does not collect district data on teacher shortages each year, a brief survey of some districts in September revealed a need for about 1,200 teachers in the state. Areas of need included math, science, bilingual education, special education, and world languages.
Teacher shortage solutions
Connecticut has a number of incentives to help keep and attract teachers, including a mortgage assistance program, loan forgiveness and deferral, as well as different forms of financial aid.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Connecticut offers Enhanced Reciprocity for teacher certifications. Educators from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia who hold an “active, valid certificate” can apply for an equivalent Connecticut teacher certification.
Delaware
Teacher shortage
Delaware has 19 school districts. At the beginning of the school year, Delaware Online reported public schools in Delaware had more than 500 open positions, representing roughly 5% of teacher jobs statewide. A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Education told the outlet that Delaware has “fared relatively well given the scale of the crisis.”
A higher-than-normal number of retirements this school year, along with a spike in student enrollment of more than 7%, is partially to blame for the shortage, “Delaware Live” reports.
Teacher shortage solutions
Delaware offers various incentives for teachers. The state’s webpage dedicated to recruitment efforts mentions a low cost of living in the state, work-life balance that includes up to 12 calendar weeks of paid parental leave, and different scholarships and financial aid options.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, but teachers with out-of-state licenses must apply for Delaware licensure and certification. The two-step application process requires teachers to hold both a license and at least one certificate.
Florida
Teacher shortage
As of Sept. 1, Florida’s total number of teacher vacancies remained at 4,442. The Sunshine State has roughly 185,000 teachers. The shortage represents around 2.4% of teaching positions in the state, which is an average of 1.2 openings per school.
Teacher shortage solutions
Since Florida’s 2020 legislative session, the state has invested more than $2 billion in teacher pay, which contributed to the largest teacher salary raise in the state’s history, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education says. The average starting salary jumped from $40,000 per year to an estimated $48,000 per year. More than 58,000 new teachers received higher pay due to increased starting salaries, and 76,000 veteran teachers also received raises. Florida’s Department of Education has also proposed three new retention and recruitment initiatives, including a teacher apprenticeship temporary certification pathway, a dual enrollment educator scholarship program, and bonuses for retired military veterans and retired first responders who become teachers.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Florida offers a number of different routes that lead to certification, reciprocity for out-of-state teachers and alternative pathways, a Florida Department of Education spokesperson told NewsNation. One of the programs includes the Military Veterans Certification Pathway, which provides a five-year temporary teaching certificate to eligible veterans.
Georgia
Teacher shortage
According to data from the Department of Education, Georgia has teacher shortages in the subjects of math, science, special education, language arts and social studies. A survey of 5,000 Georgia teachers found that three out of 10 teachers would leave the profession in the next five years due to burnout, according to the Georgia Association of Educators. Teachers identified the top three factors causing educators to leave the classroom as the emphasis on mandated tests, the teacher evaluation method and the level of teacher participation in key decisions, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s report “Georgia’s Teacher Dropout Crisis” released in 2015.
Teacher shortage solutions
Retention efforts for teachers in Georgia include providing an at least $2,000 pay raise for the fiscal year of 2023 and a one-time $2,000 bonus given in fiscal year 2022, reducing state-mandated tests, decreasing observations for veteran teachers and lowering the weight of high-stakes testing in the teacher evaluation system.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Out-of-state teachers must hold a valid or expired teacher’s certificate, complete a state-approved educator preparedness program, have a minimum of three years of successful full-time teaching and hold a bachelor’s degree from an accepted institution.
Hawaii
Teacher shortage
Hawaii has a teacher shortage crisis, according to the Hawaii State Teachers Association. The organization says more than 60,000 children are not taught by a Hawaii-qualified teacher each year, and that the number of educators leaving Hawaii has increased by more than 70% since 2012. The association reports that the state had more than 1,000 emergency hires and long-term substitutes to cover openings because the shortage is “so severe.”
Teacher shortage solutions
Hawaii has multiple incentives and retention efforts in place for teachers who meet eligibility requirements, including annual shortage differential payments for areas of need, affordable housing, scholarships, and student loan forgiveness, according to the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. To qualify, teachers must have earned a bachelor’s degree, completed a state-approved teacher education program, finished a state-approved alternative licensure program, and have a standard license they have taught under for three out of the last seven years in the state that initially issued the license.
Idaho
Teacher shortage
According to the Idaho State Board of Education, the number of vacant teacher openings across the state are about one-tenth of what they were in spring of 2021. A survey of school districts in May 2021 showed there were as many as 900 vacancies statewide. A follow-up survey at the start of the school year showed that the number of openings dropped to 134. The highest number of those jobs are in the following subject areas: special education, math and science.
Teacher shortage solutions
Idaho’s Department of Education says many of the vacant teaching positions are being filled by people with little or no education experience and training. The state is initiating programs with Lewis-Clark State College and the College of Southern Idaho to certify different staff members, such as teacher’s aides, through a process that does not require them to relocate. During the 2023 legislative session, the state’s Department of Education plans to introduce a proposal to create a teaching apprenticeship program.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Teachers who hold a current, valid out-of-state certificate based on full completion of an approved certification program recognized by the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement are eligible to apply for Idaho certification.
Illinois
Teacher shortage
Illinois schools reported 2,139 unfilled teaching positions in October 2021. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the current shortage has a disproportionate impact on chronically struggling schools, underfunded schools, and schools serving low-income communities, as well as specific subject areas, including special education and bilingual education.
A spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Education says the state is “bucking” national teacher shortage trends. The number of teachers in Illinois has grown year-over-year since 2018, adding more than 7,500 new teachers to the field, with 2021 giving the state an all-time-high teacher retention rate of 87.6%.
Teacher shortage solutions
Illinois has adopted multiple initiatives to grow its educational workforce and increase teacher retention rates. The state eliminated the basic skills test as a requirement for teacher licensure and increased the mandated minimum teacher salary. The average teacher salary in the 2021-22 school year was $72,316. Other initiatives include CTE education career pathway grants, teacher residency grants and mentoring programs.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Illinois offers full license reciprocity with all other states and with many other countries.
Indiana
Teacher shortage
Across the state of Indiana, there are at least 1,546 open teaching positions, according to the Indiana Department of Education’s school personnel job bank. U.S. Department of Education data lists math, science, language arts and special education as the subjects with the most teacher shortages in Indiana.
Teacher shortage solutions
The state enhanced its teaching job board, eased its certification process for out-of-state teachers and created accelerated options and financial support for teachers to become licensed in subjects with the highest shortages.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Eligibility for an Indiana reciprocal teaching permit means that Indiana’s requirements for licensing have been met and a valid, unexpired out-of-state license is held.
Iowa
Teacher shortage
At the start of the school year, there were 725 full-time teacher vacancies on the Teach Iowa site. An Iowa Department of Education spokesperson says based on estimates from fall 2021, 98% of teaching positions have been filled and the number of openings represents roughly 2% of the state’s total teacher workforce.
For context, Iowa has experienced a 2% increase in the number of students enrolled in public schools over the past decade. In that same time period, Iowa’s teacher workforce grew by 11%.
Teacher shortage solutions
To grow the state’s teacher talent pipeline, Iowa has apprenticeships, scholar programs and has made changes to some of its testing requirements.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners removed barriers for reciprocity from teachers with out-of-state licenses. According to the Iowa Department of Education, the only requirement is verification of holding a full teaching license. As Iowa has availabilities in certain subjects, the state grants similar licenses and endorsements.
Kansas
Teacher shortage
At the beginning of the school year, Kansas reported 1,650 teaching vacancies. According to a state Department of Education representative, that number equates to a 3.75% shortage in the state.
Teacher shortage solutions
The state Department of Education said their teacher licensure team is in the process of creating strategies to reduce the teacher shortage in Kansas.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Teachers with out-of-state licenses must apply for a similar license in Kansas meeting these requirements.
Kentucky
Teacher shortage
In Kentucky, more than 16% of teachers left the profession during the 2020-2021 school year, LEX18 reports. The Kentucky Department of Education told the station that between the 2015-2016 and 2021-2022 school years, the number of job openings increased, and around 83% of the postings were filled. For the 2022-2023 school year, U.S. Department of Education data suggests that Kentucky is experiencing teacher shortages in science, early childhood, English as a second language and career and technical education.
Teacher shortage solutions
Kentucky offers different options for eligible teachers to receive loan forgiveness or cancellation. The TEACH Grant also provides up to $4,000 per year to students who agree to teach in a high-need field for four years at low-income schools.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
No. Kentucky does not recognize teaching credentials that were issued in another state only by passing an assessment. Teachers from out of state must meet Kentucky teaching requirements. The state does accept recommendations from teacher preparation programs from certain colleges and universities in other states through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement.
Louisiana
Teacher shortage
In September, the Louisiana School Superintendent Cade Brumley told WAFB the state needs another 2,520 teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
According to notes from a Louisiana Teacher Recruitment, Recovery and Retention Task Force meeting in June, the state approved pay raises of $1,500 for teachers, along with a $2,000 stipend for mentors. The task force says multiple legislative measures have also been filed in the state to incentivize retired teachers to return to the classroom.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, but Louisiana has a list of requirements teachers must meet before receiving their Louisiana out-of-state teaching certificate.
Maine
Teacher shortage
According to U.S. Department of Education data from the 2022-2023 school year, Maine is experiencing the most teacher vacancies in special education, math, science, language arts, early childhood, elementary core subjects, art and music, and career and technical education. Maine lost more than 1,200 school employees in 2021, News Center Maine reports.
Teacher shortage solutions
In 2019, Maine increased the minimum pay for certified teachers in the state from $30,000 to $40,000 over a period of three years. The state has financial incentives for teachers with more expertise, willing to take on leadership roles in schools and those who teach high-need subjects in high-need locations. There are also financial assistance options such as service loans, grants and scholarships for Maine educators.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, as long as an out-of-state teacher obtains a reciprocity professional certificate. Those certificates are typically issued to those with similar licensing.
Maryland
Teacher shortage
In September 2021, Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury reported nearly 2,000 teacher vacancies in the state. In July of 2022, he said more than 13% of teachers in 2020-2021 did not return to teach in the same school the following year. In the same time period, 10% of teachers did not go back to the classroom at all. In Maryland, the superintendent says teachers new to the profession and Black and Hispanic teachers are most likely not to return to teaching in the state. Almost 42% of teachers who leave the field voluntarily resign.
Teacher shortage solutions
According to Superintendent Choudhury’s report, Maryland will make the minimum base salary for teachers $60,000 by July 2026. Education officials in the state are also seeking additional pay raises, increased leadership opportunities for teachers and the reimaging of a teacher’s school day to give them more daily support.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. According to the Maryland State Department of Education, the state finds more than half of its teachers from out of state. The Teach Maryland website run by the state department of education says teachers with three years of experience teaching in another state during the past seven years have a direct route to being certified to teach in Maryland.
Massachusetts
Teacher shortage
A picture of how widespread the teacher shortage is in Massachusetts is still hazy, a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokesperson tells NewsNation.
“There are definitely Massachusetts districts that are struggling with shortages, but it’s unclear how widespread this problem is in the state,” the spokesperson said.
In October, the Boston Globe reported that Boston Public Schools alone had more than 800 teaching and other support positions vacant two months into the school year.
Teacher shortage solutions
In 2020, Massachusetts developed and implemented an emergency teaching license, which only requires a bachelor’s degree for most teaching licenses. Since June 2020, the state has issued almost 20,000 emergency licenses. Massachusetts has also dedicated more than $1 million in grants and licensure supports to help those with emergency teaching licenses earn permanent licenses.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Massachusetts signed the NASDTEC (National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification) Interstate Agreement and will accept a license from every state with the exception of school nurse and school psychologist positions. Still, the state does not offer full reciprocity. Temporary licenses are designed for experienced out-of-state teachers, but those teachers must also earn a sheltered English immersion endorsement and pass MTEL to teach in Massachusetts.
Michigan
Teacher shortage
For the 2022-2023 school year, Michigan had the most teacher shortages in math, science, world languages, health and physical fitness, art and music, language arts, English as a second language, special education, social studies and career and technical education, according to U.S. Department of Education data. A survey by the Michigan Education Association in September of more than 3,500 people in the education field found that 87% said they were extremely or very concerned about shortages.
Teacher shortage solutions
In July, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an education budget that includes $10,000 in tuition for 2,500 future Michigan teachers every year, $9,600 stipends per semester for student teachers, and programs that help school districts put support staff on low-cost paths to become educators. The budget also gives additional funding for career and technical education teachers, a program that connects veterans with mentors as they work to become certified teachers, and an investment in teacher retirement.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Michigan accepts out-of-state teacher preparation programs and teaching certifications on a reciprocal basis for their initial teaching certification pending an evaluation.
Minnesota
Teacher shortage
A majority of school districts in Minnesota reported being “somewhat significantly” or “very significantly” impacted by the teacher shortage, according to the 2021 Supply & Demand of Teachers in Minnesota report from the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. Nearly a third of new teachers in the state leave teaching within their first five years in the profession, the report states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education for the 2022-2023 school year shows the state has the most shortages in special education, career and technical education, science, art and music, world languages, language arts, English as a second language and health and physical fitness.
Teacher shortage solutions
Minnesota has hiring and retention bonuses for certain educators. Eligible school districts may offer a hiring bonus of up to $2,500 for eligible teachers. If eligible teachers are serving in a licensure shortage area, the bonus can be up to $4,000.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. An out-of-state teacher must apply for a Tier 2 licensure requirements and be offered a position by a Minnesota public school district or charter school before teaching.
Mississippi
Teacher shortage
School district leaders in Mississippi anticipated 3,036 teacher vacancies for the 2021-2022 school year. The Mississippi Department of Education is still analyzing the number of shortages for the 2022-2023 school year.
Teacher shortage solutions
According to the Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi Teacher Residency is the first state-led teacher residency that combines college coursework and job training to prepare aspiring teachers for the classroom. The state also has a performance-based licensure pilot that studies performance-based alternatives to traditional licensure testing requirements.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. The state’s Department of Education will grant a five-year license to teachers who meet certain eligibility requirements. Out-of-state teachers interested in applying to teach in Mississippi must submit their teaching license, verification of their license and their academic transcripts.
Missouri
Teacher shortage
In Missouri, the largest number of teacher vacancies are in elementary education, special education and physical education, according to the Missouri Department of Education’s Educator Vacancy report issued in March 2022. In the same time, there were 2,184 elementary education vacancies, 983 vacancies in special education and 291 physical education vacancies. The report says many areas with a lower number of shortages are often filled with less-than-fully-certified teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
Missouri has a career ladder program that supports salary adjustments for teaching staff who take on additional responsibilities in some instances. Missouri’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget also includes $21.8 million for a baseline salary grant program that aims to boost salary levels to at least $38,000.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Missouri offers reciprocal teaching certificates with other states. A teacher with a valid, out-of-state certificate can be granted a comparable teaching certificate in Missouri pending verification.
Montana
Teacher shortage
Montana is still compiling data on teacher shortages, but the state found that so far about 70% of licensed teaching positions in Montana schools were difficult to fill or unable to be filled in 2021-2022. Montana has a record number of emergency authorizations or unlicensed teachers who have been authorized to teach when school districts have exhausted all hiring possibilities. In the past five years, Montana’s Office of Public Instruction says the number of unlicensed teachers through emergency authorizations has risen 90% and doubled from 2020 to 2022. The state’s Office of Public Instruction adds that at least half of newly licensed teachers leave Montana within their first three years on the job.
Teacher shortage solutions
Montana has rolled out multiple programs they hope will solve the teacher recruitment and retention issues they currently face. TeachMT is a new system that streamlines the licensing process. The state rules that govern educator licensing have changed semester requirements, Praxis rules, and experience-based credit. Montana’s superintendent of schools is also working on a certificate that would offer substitute teachers professional development that would translate into university credits toward completing their education degree.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
No, in most cases. Revisions to Montana’s teacher licensing rules include recognizing licenses from nationally board-certified teachers and reciprocity for military spouses and dependents.
Nebraska
Teacher shortage
In the Nebraska Department of Education’s 2020-2021 Teacher Vacancy Survey Report, school districts reported 238 unfilled positions with fully qualified personnel. Of those positions, 38 were in districts with less than 500 students.
Teacher shortage solutions
The Attracting Excellence to Teaching Program is one of Nebraska’s teacher recruitment initiatives. The plan provides forgivable loans to eligible students who are enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate teacher education program in the state working toward their initial certificate to teach in Nebraska.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
No. Nebraska does not have full reciprocity with other states, but the state in some cases does recognize approved teacher preparation programs from other states depending on a teacher’s credentials.
Nevada
Teacher shortage
While Nevada does not track teacher shortages on a state level, a Nevada Department of Education spokesperson said teacher shortages and other education-related staffing shortages are “big problems” for the state. According to U.S. Department of Education data from the 2022-2023 school year, Nevada struggles with shortages in the following areas: special education, science, English as a second language, math, art and music, early childhood and core subjects.
Teacher shortage solutions
The Nevada Department of Education has shifted much of its focus to teacher recruitment and retention efforts, forming multiple committees to analyze the problem and consider solutions. The state is also using federal relief funds to tackle the issue, including a $20 million investment to incentivize pathways to teaching.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. If a teacher holds a valid license with a clear teaching endorsement from another state, Nevada will issue them the same or a similar license.
New Hampshire
Teacher shortage
While New Hampshire has teacher shortages in subjects such as STEM and special education, state education officials insist the shortage has not worsened, but has instead seen improvements in the past two years. In 2022, the New Hampshire Department of Education renewed at least 9,326 educator credentials, which is the highest renewal rate for the state in 14 years. The state’s student population has also decreased by roughly 13%.
Teacher shortage solutions
New Hampshire created a legislative committee dedicated to studying teacher shortages in the state and developing recruitment initiatives.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement, New Hampshire accepts eligible teachers with out-of-state licenses, although there may be additional testing requirements.
New Jersey
Teacher shortage
In 2019-2020, New Jersey had about 98,000 certified teachers working in its public schools. In 2020-2021, northjersey.com reports that the number dropped to 96,000.
Teacher shortage solutions
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy started a task force on public school staff shortages with a goal of gaining a better understanding of what’s causing the shortages and how they can be resolved. The Murphy administration also made changes to the teacher certification process. Starting in spring 2024, the responsibility for certifying education graduates will be placed on New Jersey colleges and universities instead of the state.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, but educators from other states wanting to teach in New Jersey must hold the equivalent type and subject area/grade level out-of-state license. A teacher must meet all of New Jersey’s certificate of eligibility requirements.
New Mexico
Teacher shortage
According to the 2022 New Mexico Educator Vacancy Report, New Mexico has 1,344 teacher vacancies, an increase from the previous year. When breaking down the open positions by grade level and subject area, the report says the largest need was for special education teachers, closely followed by elementary school teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
The New Mexico Public Education Department is recruiting aspiring teachers through the Teaching Is Changing Lives campaign, implementing residency programs in eight universities and having allocations for 500 educator fellows.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, but it is limited reciprocity. According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement website, eligible out-of-state teachers will receive a license similar to what was held in another state when all appropriate documentation is included in their application.
New York
Teacher shortage
NewsNation-affiliate WTEN reports that New York is expected to need 180,000 new teachers in the next decade, but there may not be enough teachers to fill those roles. People enrolled in the state’s teacher enrollment programs has decreased by almost 50% while New York’s student population is expected to grow by 61,000 in the next seven years.
Teacher shortage solutions
In June, the New York Board of Regents modified teaching certification requirements by slashing what was once 100 hours of required in-class teaching to 50 hours. New York also has two grant programs for school districts struggling with recruiting new teachers.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Out-of-state teachers must have a valid teaching certificate from another state and complete an approved teacher education program comparable to New York’s requirements or have three years of teaching experience within the previous seven years under the certificate.
North Carolina
Teacher shortage
The percentage of North Carolina teachers leaving the profession has been relatively stable at around 8%, a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction spokesperson tells NewsNation. That equates to around 7,000 to 8,000 teachers leaving each year out of a workforce of around 95,000, according to data from the 2020-2021 school year. Within the same set of data, the state found that the highest number of vacancies were reported in elementary grades (core areas of math, English, science and social studies), special education across all grade levels and math at the middle and high school levels.
Teacher shortage solutions
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is proposing changes to how North Carolina teachers are paid and licensed.
“Reforming the model would allow the state to support, and sustain, current teachers with better compensation and opportunities for career advancement while also supporting early-career teachers through a professional system of support. This opportunity for reform is an important way we can directly address some of the vacancy challenges districts are experiencing,” a spokesperson said.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. North Carolina grants a reciprocal license to eligible teachers based on the education program that a teacher has completed, experience, test scores and transcripts.
North Dakota
Teacher shortage
For the 2021-2022 school year, North Dakota had about 167 teaching vacancies along with 330 people teaching in an irregular capacity, according to an October report by the Grand Forks Herald.
Teacher shortage solutions
Educators who teach in locations or content areas identified as having shortages are, in some cases, eligible for student loan forgiveness. State policy also supports personalized, competency-based learning that gives school districts more local control. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s education budget recommendations include $4 million for a program that provides incentives for education paraprofessionals to become licensed teachers and $2.1 million for a teacher mentorship program.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Teachers will need to show the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board a copy of their valid and current out-of-state teaching license with confirmation of the other state educator license form.
Ohio
Teacher shortage
The Ohio Education Association reports that preliminary July 2022 data shows a decrease of 17,000 K-12 public school employees in Ohio versus employment levels in July 2019. The data did not distinguish between teachers specifically and other school employees.
“It is alarming that Ohio’s public education workforce is 6% smaller now than three years ago. During the same period, public school enrollment in Ohio declined by 2%,” the association wrote in its latest teacher recruitment and retention report.
U.S. Department of Education data for the 2022-2023 school year shows Ohio’s largest teacher shortages in the following areas: special education, career and technical education, art and music, and English as a second language.
Teacher shortage solutions
The Ohio Department of Education has a “Grow Your Own” strategy when it comes to teacher recruitment and retention. The approach aims to attract community members to the teaching profession in high-need areas to increase diversity and retention by drawing from local areas.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Out-of-state teachers who wish to teach in Ohio must go through an evaluation process to determine eligibility for an Ohio teaching license.
Oklahoma
Teacher shortage
Oklahoma has seen an uptick in emergency certifications in the last 10 years. A spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education tells NewsNation that in 2022 the state had a record number, 4,426, of emergency certified teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
To help address the teacher shortage, a $5,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise is included in the proposed education budget next year. The average salary of a teacher in Oklahoma is $54,096.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Fully certified out-of-state teachers who meet the standards set by the State Board of Education are eligible to receive traditional Oklahoma certification.
Oregon
Teacher shortage
An August report from NewsNation affiliate KOIN says Portland Public Schools alone had more than 200 open instructional positions, 80 of which were teaching positions in core subjects. The report also details 81 teaching openings in the Beaverton School District and 50 total openings in the Reynolds School District.
Teacher shortage solutions
Oregon has a teacher loan forgiveness program for eligible teachers at schools in the state’s Teacher Cancellation Low Income Directory.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Oregon issues reciprocal teaching licenses to eligible teachers who have completed an educator preparedness program and hold an active and valid nonprovisional license from another state.
Pennsylvania
Teacher shortage
Pennsylvania’s Educator Workforce Strategy for 2022-2025 states that by August 2025, Pennsylvania will need thousands of new teachers, hundreds of new principals, and thousands of educators in other critical roles. The report says the state “faces an educator workforce crisis” since the number of new teachers entering the classroom continues to decline and the rate of teachers leaving the profession keeps accelerating.
Teacher shortage solutions
Pennsylvania has a three-year plan, which aims to build a more diverse education workforce, streamline the teacher certification process, and give teachers access to high-quality professional growth and leadership opportunities by 2025.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Pennsylvania has signed an Interstate Certification Agreement that recognizes similar state-approved certification programs. Teaching candidates must still meet certain Pennsylvania requirements such as testing and student teaching experience.
Rhode Island
Teacher shortage
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education for the 2022-2023 school year, Rhode Island has the largest teacher shortages in the following subjects: English as a second language, career and technical education, math, science, special education, health and physical fitness, world languages and language arts.
Teacher shortage solutions
Rhode Island’s Council on Elementary and Secondary Education passed an educator certification proposal that includes giving teachers in shortage areas with relevant experience seven years to get their certification as opposed to seven one-year renewals, the alignment of teacher requirements in career and technical education with industry expectations, and establishing alternative ways to recruit new teachers.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes, in some cases. Rhode Island recognizes full and aligned out-of-state teaching certificates, but still requires compliance with current state testing requirements. Rhode Island has special reciprocity flexibility with Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
South Carolina
Teacher shortage
According to the South Carolina Annual Educator Supply & Demand Report, 72 of the 73 public school districts reported a 39% increase in vacancies. The 2022-2023 school year started with 1,474 vacant positions compared to the 1,063 openings the previous year.
Teacher shortage solutions
The South Carolina Department of Education used Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to implement a statewide recruitment and retention initiative. The program has generated more than 2,000 teacher applicants from neighboring North Carolina in the past two years. South Carolina’s Department of Education has also advocated for higher teacher pay. In the past eight years, the department says starting salaries for teachers went from $29,523 to $40,000 in fiscal year 2023, representing an increase of 35.49%.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. South Carolina accepts valid, standard teaching certificates or licenses, but those credentials must meet a set of state requirements.
South Dakota
Teacher shortage
NewsNation affiliate KELO reported in November that recent estimates by the state’s Department of Education put the number of open teaching positions in the state at more than 500, which is much higher than in previous years. According to the report, shortages are due in part to large class sizes and low salaries for teachers.
Teacher shortage solutions
In 2021, the South Dakota Teacher Compensation Review Board found that, compared to the rest of the country, South Dakota teacher pay ranks extremely low, but their wage growth percentage ranks high. A state task force has recommended the implementation of a new funding formula and benchmarks to ensure that average teacher salary goals are met in the state.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. The state where teachers hold their license must verify it and that there are no past or pending disciplinary actions for alleged ethics violations. From there, teachers can apply for a one-year provisional certificate.
Tennessee
Teacher shortage
Ahead of the 2022-2023 school year, Tennessee had around 2,000 teaching vacancies, WVLT reports. According to U.S. Department of Education data for 2022-2023, Tennessee has the largest shortages in math, social studies, language arts, art and music, science, health and physical fitness, world languages, early childhood, English as a second language and special education.
Teacher shortage solutions
Tennessee has invested in a “Grow Your Own” initiative and a center that has built new teacher apprenticeship models through the University of Tennessee System’s four campuses.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) website, eligible teachers can receive an initial-level license if they hold either an initial license or professional-level in another state.
Texas
Teacher shortage
According to reporting from Dallas Weekly, the rate at which teachers are leaving their jobs is the biggest problem for the Texas teacher shortage. They report that the state has experienced 8,600 teachers retiring since fiscal year 2021.
Teacher shortage solutions
Texas teacher initiatives include the federal teacher loan forgiveness program, grow your own and mentorship programs, and a redesign of the teacher certification process, the Texas Education Agency says.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) website, Texas does not offer full reciprocity in any area of certification or licensure.
Utah
Teacher shortage
A Utah State Board of Education spokesperson tells NewsNation that nearly 15% of Utah teachers are underqualified, meaning they do not hold a professional teaching license.
Teacher shortage solutions
Utah created two alternate pathways for people wanting to earn their professional teaching license. The state is also working to establish a registered apprenticeship for teachers.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. Teachers who have professional, unencumbered, renewable licenses in other jurisdictions may be granted a Utah Professional Educator license.
Vermont
Teacher shortage
According to U.S. Department of Education data for 2022-2023, Vermont has the largest shortages in health and physical fitness, special education, math, science, social studies, art and music, language arts, world languages and early childhood education.
Teacher shortage solutions
Many Vermont teachers are able to teach under emergency, provisional or apprenticeship licenses. New state legislation also allows certain retired teachers to return to the classroom for one year without impacting their retirement earnings.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) website, Vermont allows eligible out-of-state teachers into their classrooms but requires certain requirements, such as the same education levels, to be met.
Virginia
Teacher shortage
Teacher shortages in Virginia vary from region to region. A Virginia Department of Education spokesperson tells NewsNation that Virginia’s 131 school divisions reported approximately 3,600 vacancies with a total of 93,000 full-time teaching positions. Special education, math, career and technical education, science and English are among the state’s top 10 critical shortage areas for the 2022-2023 school year.
Teacher shortage solutions
Some of Virginia’s recruitment and retention efforts include offering additional funding for school districts, awarding grants to help cover the cost of teaching assessments, and giving scholarships to eligible college students completing their student-teaching experience.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. According to the state’s educator career resource center, teachers coming from out of state may qualify for a Virginia teaching license depending on which preparation programs a teacher has completed.
Washington
Teacher shortage
According to the Washington state’s Professional Educator Standards Board’s 2021 shortage report, progress has been made to decrease the teacher shortage, yet demographic, content area, role, and geographic shortages are still continuing to be an issue for the state.
Teacher shortage solutions
Washington’s educator programs include at least four scholarships or grants to address teacher shortages through recruitment and retention efforts.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
No, in most cases. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, teachers must have a Washington certificate in order to serve in public schools. Teachers with either the Wisconsin Masters Educator License or the Ohio Professional Teaching License are considered comparable to Washington’s Professional Certificate Program. Teachers with those certificates may apply for certification in Washington.
West Virginia
Teacher shortage
West Virginia’s 2022 Public Education Snapshot reports there are 1,544 teachers placed in positions for which they are not fully certified.
Teacher shortage solutions
The West Virginia Department of Education says there are multiple short-term and long-term strategies in place to slow and attempt to reverse increases in shortages, such as multiple pathways to teacher licensure, and a “Grow Your Own” teaching and apprenticeship program.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
West Virginia has reciprocity with all other states across the United States, but applicants must meet state-specific criteria, according to the West Virginia Department of Education.
Wisconsin
Teacher shortage
School districts in Wisconsin are not required to report teaching vacancies to the state, so a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson says it’s difficult to measure the size of a potential shortage. Different areas of the state have different educational needs and vacancies vary across Wisconsin. According to U.S. Department of Education data for the 2022-2023 school year, Wisconsin sees its largest shortages in special education, English as a second language, math, and science.
Teacher shortage solutions
Wisconsin teachers may be eligible for loan forgiveness or cancelation if they teach an eligible subject or work in eligible schools. Current teachers in the state who meet eligibility requirements for most financial aid must be employed as a full-time, highly qualified elementary or secondary teacher for five complete and consecutive years and work at a designated low-income school.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. If teachers have a valid teaching license from another state and at least one year of experience under that license, they may be eligible to teach in Wisconsin depending on a review of their application.
Wyoming
Teacher shortage
The Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board does not have data on teacher vacancies, but a spokesperson told NewsNation some districts have larger numbers of open positions than others and that all 48 school districts reportedly had difficulties meeting their staffing needs.
Teacher shortage solutions
The Wyoming Department of Education and Professional Teaching Standards Board recently developed a teacher apprenticeship program that allows school districts to support prospective teachers who otherwise may not have had the means to become teachers. Selected apprentices spend up to three years in a mentored program in the classroom while completing college coursework. The state also has a recruitment and retention task force related to finding solutions for teacher shortages.
Will they accept an out-of-state teacher’s license?
Yes. A Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board spokesperson says Wyoming has many licensed teachers from other states that match Wyoming teaching requirements.
This map from the National Conference of State Legislatures, consisting of U.S. Department of Education data from the 2022-2023 school year, shows the states reporting the highest number of subject area shortages. The same data shows that when it comes to critical shortage areas, states appear to need special education, science and math teachers the most right now.