Research Report

Solving Educator Shortages by Making Public Education an Attractive and Competitive Career Path

October 2022 | National Education Association

This report from the National Education Association (NEA) synthesizes research from a variety of databases and published studies to show that solving the educator shortage crisis will require a long-term approach that focuses on recruitment and retention. The report addresses issues that have contributed to educator shortages and suggests solutions that target the areas of competitive pay and benefits, student debt relief, working conditions, educator voice, respect and professional autonomy, hiring practices, and recruitment. By focusing on the needs and priorities of educators, the authors outline ways to make a career in education an attractive and competitive choice.