ForwardEd Open Resource · Research Synthesis · 2026

Teacher Retention & the Shortage Crisis

Research findings and evidence-based district strategies on what's driving teachers out — and what would keep them in.

Nicole Simmons, M.Ed. 2026 ~14 min read
Executive Summary

The United States faces a persistent and worsening teacher shortage that threatens educational equity and student achievement. This crisis is not simply a recruitment problem — 90% of open teaching positions are created by teachers who leave the profession, with about two-thirds leaving for reasons other than retirement.

This document synthesizes research from RAND Corporation, the Learning Policy Institute, the Economic Policy Institute, the Pew Research Center, and the National Education Association to surface the working conditions driving teachers out, what teachers themselves say would keep them in, and the evidence-based strategies districts can implement immediately.

The Crisis at a Glance

National data from 2023–2025 reveals the scope and urgency of what districts are navigating. The numbers below are not edge cases — they are the operating reality for most public school systems in the country.

400K+
Unfilled or uncertified teaching positions nationally
44%
New teachers who leave within 5 years
$18K
Less per year than comparable college-educated professionals
77%
Report frequent job-related stress
53 hrs
Average work week — 9 more hours than peer professions
2×
Higher turnover than in other industrialized countries
Key Finding

While compensation is critical, the research conclusively shows that retention requires a comprehensive approach. Many policy responses have raised pay without addressing working conditions — yet the evidence is clear that both are necessary to improve teacher retention.

The full operational picture, drawn from 2023–2025 surveys and district-level analysis:

Staffing Vacancies
400,000+ teaching positions are unfilled or filled by uncertified teachers (2024) — up from 310,000 the previous year. Learning Policy Institute, 2024
Intent to Leave
16–22% of teachers report intent to leave their jobs annually; 18% plan to leave the profession entirely. RAND, 2024–2025; Tyton Partners, 2024
Actual Turnover
23% of teachers left their school in 2022–23; 30% of rookie teachers left their school. Education Resource Strategies, 2024
Early-Career Attrition
44% of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. Center for American Progress, 2025
Equity Impact
High-poverty schools lost 29% of teachers in 2022–23, vs. 19% in affluent schools — a 10-point gap. Education Resource Strategies, 2024
Racial Disparities
Black teachers are significantly more likely than White teachers to report intent to leave. RAND, 2024

Teacher turnover in the United States is approximately twice as high as in high-achieving jurisdictions like Finland, Singapore, and Ontario — all of which experience teacher surpluses rather than shortages.

— Cross-national comparative analysis, OECD & LPI

Top 5 Reasons Teachers Leave

Research consistently identifies five primary drivers of teacher attrition. Each is supported by evidence from multiple credible sources, and each is addressable through specific district decisions.

Driver 1

Inadequate Compensation

  • Teacher pay penalty hit a record 26.9% in 2024 — up from 6.1% in 1996
  • Only 36% of teachers consider their base pay adequate (vs. 51% of peers)
  • Teachers earn $18,000 less annually than comparable college graduates while working 9 more hours per week
  • Teachers need an average $16,000 pay increase to consider their salary adequate
  • Black teachers earn $4,400 less than White teachers nationally and receive the smallest pay increases
Pay Penalty Trajectory
A 4× widening gap in three decades.
6.1% 1996 19% 2010 26.9% 2024
Teacher pay penalty — the wage gap between teachers and comparably-educated workers in other professions. Source: Economic Policy Institute, 2024.
Driver 2

Excessive Stress and Burnout

  • Frequent stress: 62% of teachers vs. 33% of other working adults — nearly 2× the rate
  • Coping difficulty: 3× more likely than peers to struggle with job-related stress
  • Overwhelm: 77% say their job is frequently stressful; 68% say it's overwhelming
  • Female teachers consistently report higher rates of stress and burnout since 2021
Driver 3

Poor Working Conditions

  • Insufficient time: 84% report not having enough time for regular tasks like grading and lesson planning
  • Planning deficit: only 4.4 hours/week of planning time vs. recommended 6.8–7.8
  • Understaffing: 70% of teachers say their schools are understaffed
  • Unpaid extra work: 65% take on extra work; 1 in 4 receives no pay for it
Driver 4

Lack of Administrative Support

This is the #1 retention factor. Administrative support is the variable most consistently associated with teachers' decisions to stay or leave. Teachers who find their administrators unsupportive are more than 2× as likely to leave as those who feel well-supported.

Related factors tied to leadership quality:

  • Professional learning opportunities
  • Instructional leadership and feedback quality
  • Time for collaboration and planning
  • Collegial relationships and school culture
  • Teacher voice in decision-making
Driver 5

Student Behavior & Complex Needs

  • Behavior management is a major source of job-related stress for teachers nationally
  • Students' increased emotional and social needs place additional burdens on educators
  • Managing burnout while keeping students engaged is consistently top of mind

What Teachers Say Would Keep Them

When researchers ask teachers directly what would improve retention, six clear priorities emerge — and they are not what district policy responses typically optimize for first.

1
Competitive Compensation
Pay that allows a middle-class lifestyle. 67% of teachers who left would return if salaries increased significantly.
2
Supportive Leadership
Administrators who provide instructional feedback, build trust, and give teachers voice in decisions.
3
Manageable Workload
Adequate planning time (6.8–7.8 hrs/week), reasonable class sizes, sufficient support staff.
4
Teaching Excellence
Opportunities to do what they do best. 82% who feel empowered report satisfaction at work.
5
Collegial Community
Strong community ties are the top reason teachers stay; collaboration time is essential.
6
Professional Respect
Recognition as skilled professionals; career advancement available without leaving the classroom.

Evidence-Based District Strategies

Research provides clear, actionable strategies organized into five comprehensive categories. Each strategy below names the supporting evidence and the specific action steps districts can take. None of these is theoretical. Each has been implemented and measured in real districts.

Category 1

Compensation & Benefits

Pay increases, improved benefits, housing assistance, compensating extra work.

Strategy 1.1

Provide substantial, meaningful pay increases.

EvidenceTeachers who received larger pay increases were significantly more likely to say their pay was adequate and less likely to intend to leave. The modest $2,000 average increases reported are insufficient; teachers need increases closer to the $16,000 they identify as necessary. (RAND, 2024)
Action steps
  • Conduct salary comparisons with neighboring districts and other professions requiring similar education
  • Develop multi-year compensation plans with predictable, meaningful increases
  • Prioritize raises for early-career teachers and those in hard-to-staff schools
  • Address racial pay disparities, particularly for Black teachers who earn less and receive smaller increases
Strategy 1.2

Expand and improve benefits packages.

EvidenceOnly one-third of teachers have paid parental leave compared to nearly half of comparable workers. Among those who have it, only 46% of teachers consider it adequate vs. 78% of other professionals. (RAND, 2024)
Action steps
  • Expand access to paid parental leave (12+ weeks minimum)
  • Increase paid personal time off and sick leave
  • Offer tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees and professional development
  • Provide comprehensive mental health and wellness benefits
Strategy 1.3

Provide housing assistance.

Evidence62% of surveyed teachers prefer housing stipends that can be applied to rent or mortgage over dedicated teacher housing units, giving them freedom to choose where they live. (Center for American Progress, 2025)
Action steps
  • Implement housing stipend programs (e.g., Oakland Unified's $1,500/month for first five years)
  • Partner with local housing authorities for down-payment assistance
  • Offer relocation stipends for teachers moving to the district
Strategy 1.4

Compensate all extra work.

EvidenceOne in four teachers nationally perform extra work (coaching, department chair duties) without pay. (RAND, 2024)
Action steps
  • Audit all teacher responsibilities and ensure compensation for all extra duties
  • Create stipend schedules for coaching, department leadership, mentoring, and committee work
  • Build these costs into regular budget planning, not one-time bonuses
Category 2

Workload & Time

Hiring additional staff, protecting planning time, reducing non-instructional duties.

Strategy 2.1

Hire additional staff to reduce workload.

EvidenceDistricts should hire learning specialists, reduce class sizes, and address substitute teacher shortages. California invested $1.1 billion to hire additional staff in highest-poverty schools. (Learning Policy Institute, 2023)
Action steps
  • Hire instructional coaches and learning specialists to push into classrooms
  • Reduce class sizes, particularly in high-need schools
  • Increase support staff: counselors, social workers, paraprofessionals
  • Address substitute shortages by significantly raising daily pay (e.g., Chula Vista nearly doubled sub pay)
Strategy 2.2

Provide adequate, protected planning time.

EvidenceDistricts should mandate uninterrupted daily planning time in teacher contracts — between 6.8 and 7.8 hours per week, significantly higher than the current 4.4-hour average. (Center for American Progress, 2025)
Action steps
  • Schedule longer planning blocks (90+ minutes) rather than fragmented short periods
  • Protect planning time from administrative meetings and duties
  • Include collaborative planning time for grade-level or content teams
  • Contractually guarantee minimum weekly planning hours
Strategy 2.3

Reduce non-instructional duties.

Action steps
  • Audit all teacher responsibilities and eliminate non-essential tasks
  • Hire administrative support staff to handle clerical work
  • Streamline grading and assessment systems
  • Reduce required meetings and make remaining meetings more efficient
Category 3

Leadership & Support

Strong principals, high-quality mentoring, trust-building, and teacher voice.

Strategy 3.1

Develop strong, supportive school leaders.

EvidenceDistricts should strengthen principal training programs to develop leaders who create productive teaching environments, provide instructional leadership, facilitate collaboration, and give teachers decision-making input. (Learning Policy Institute, 2023)
Action steps
  • Invest in rigorous principal preparation programs with research-based leadership training
  • Provide ongoing coaching and professional development for sitting principals
  • Train principals in instructional leadership, not just management
  • Evaluate principals on teacher retention and satisfaction metrics
Strategy 3.2

Implement high-quality mentoring and induction.

EvidenceEvidence-based mentoring and induction programs increase retention, accelerate professional learning, and improve student achievement. Effective programs include observation and feedback, time for collaborative planning, reduced teaching loads for new teachers, and focus on analyzing student work. (Learning Policy Institute, 2023)
Action steps
  • Provide every new teacher with a trained mentor from their subject area or grade level
  • Include regular observation cycles with feedback (minimum bi-weekly)
  • Reduce new teacher course loads or class sizes in year one
  • Compensate mentor teachers for their time and expertise
  • Focus on high-leverage practices: analyzing student work, discussing instructional strategies
Strategy 3.3

Build trust and give teachers voice.

EvidenceCultivating trust in school leadership, providing quality feedback through evaluation, and allowing teachers influence in decision-making increases the likelihood teachers will continue teaching. (Colorado Department of Education, 2024)
Action steps
  • Create teacher leadership teams with real decision-making authority
  • Involve teachers in curriculum selection, scheduling, and budget priorities
  • Conduct regular teacher surveys on working conditions and act on feedback
  • Establish transparent communication channels between teachers and administration
Category 4

Preparation Pipeline

Teacher residencies, Grow Your Own programs, scholarships and loan forgiveness.

Strategy 4.1

Establish teacher residency programs.

EvidenceTeacher residencies have significantly higher retention rates than traditional preparation programs. Residents train in high-need schools for a full year under master teachers while earning credentials, in exchange for 3–5 year teaching commitments. (U.S. Congress, 2023; LPI, 2022)
Action steps
  • Partner with local universities to develop year-long residency programs
  • Provide stipends and tuition coverage for residents
  • Place residents with expert mentor teachers in high-need schools
  • Require 3–5 year teaching commitment in exchange for financial support
Strategy 4.2

Create "Grow Your Own" teacher pathways.

EvidenceGrow Your Own programs are especially effective in hard-to-staff communities, recruiting local high school students, paraprofessionals, or community members who are more likely to stay and teach in their own communities. (Learning Policy Institute, 2022)
Action steps
  • Develop high school teaching academies with dual enrollment options
  • Create pathways for paraprofessionals to earn teaching credentials while working
  • Recruit community members, particularly in rural and high-need areas
  • Cover costs of preparation programs and provide financial support during training
Strategy 4.3

Provide service scholarships and loan forgiveness.

EvidenceThese programs reduce the debt burden of teaching and support retention by paying for high-quality preparation in exchange for 3–5 year teaching commitments in high-need subjects or locations. (Learning Policy Institute, 2022)
Action steps
  • Create district-funded scholarships for teacher candidates in shortage areas
  • Partner with state and federal loan forgiveness programs
  • Target STEM, special education, and bilingual education candidates
  • Prioritize candidates willing to work in high-need schools
Category 5

School Culture & Climate

Collegial environments, adequate resources, career advancement pathways.

Strategy 5.1

Create collegial, collaborative environments.

EvidencePositive outlier districts retain teachers by creating favorable working conditions, positive culture, and a climate of teacher support and development, with opportunities for collaborative planning and professional learning. (Learning Policy Institute, 2023)
Action steps
  • Schedule regular collaborative planning time for grade-level or content teams
  • Establish professional learning communities focused on instructional improvement
  • Create opportunities for teacher-led professional development
  • Build strong relationships between teachers and families
Strategy 5.2

Provide resources and supportive facilities.

EvidenceSchools with sufficient instructional materials, safe and clean facilities, reasonable student-to-teacher ratios, and adequate support personnel positively affect teacher retention rates. (Learning Policy Institute)
Action steps
  • Provide high-quality, culturally responsive curriculum materials
  • Maintain safe, clean, and well-equipped facilities
  • Invest in up-to-date technology and reliable infrastructure
  • Ensure equitable distribution of resources across schools
Strategy 5.3

Create career advancement pathways.

Action steps
  • Establish teacher leader roles with increased compensation and responsibility
  • Create department chair, instructional coach, and mentor teacher positions
  • Develop career ladders that don't require leaving the classroom
  • Recognize and celebrate teaching excellence publicly

A Comprehensive Approach

The Bottom Line

The teacher shortage crisis is solvable, but only through comprehensive, sustained action. Isolated interventions are insufficient — raising pay without addressing working conditions, or improving mentoring without competitive compensation, will not move the needle on retention.

Districts that successfully retain teachers implement multiple strategies simultaneously: competitive compensation that allows teachers to live middle-class lives in their communities; manageable workloads supported by adequate staffing and protected planning time; strong leadership that provides instructional support and builds trust; high-retention preparation pathways including residencies and Grow Your Own programs; and positive school cultures with collaboration, resources, and career advancement opportunities.

The Equity Imperative

The teacher shortage crisis disproportionately harms students in high-poverty schools and students of color. Schools serving the greatest proportion of students in poverty lost 29% of their teachers in 2022–23, compared to 19% in affluent schools. This instability perpetuates achievement gaps and denies our most vulnerable students access to experienced, effective teachers. Priority actions for high-need schools — higher compensation and comprehensive benefits, additional support staff, intensive mentoring, strong experienced leadership, superior resources — are not optional. They are the equity floor.

The Path Forward

Every strategy in this document is supported by rigorous research and proven in practice. The evidence is clear: districts that implement these comprehensive retention strategies successfully staff their schools with qualified, experienced teachers who stay.

The cost of inaction is steep. Each teacher who leaves costs an urban district an estimated $20,000 in replacement costs. More importantly, high turnover harms student achievement, disrupts school stability, and perpetuates educational inequity.

The teacher shortage is not inevitable. With sustained investment in compensation, working conditions, leadership, preparation pathways, and school culture, districts can build the stable, experienced teaching workforce every student deserves.

Primary Research Sources

  1. Center for American Progress. (2025). How to Increase the Retention of Early-Career Teachers.
  2. Colorado Department of Education. (2024). Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey (TRR) 2024.
  3. Economic Policy Institute. (2024). The Teacher Shortage Is Real, Large and Growing, and Worse Than We Thought.
  4. Economic Policy Institute. (2022). The Pandemic Has Exacerbated a Long-Standing National Shortage of Teachers.
  5. Education Resource Strategies. (2024). Examining School-Level Teacher Turnover Trends (2021–24).
  6. Learning Policy Institute. (2024). State Teacher Shortages 2024/2025 Updates.
  7. Learning Policy Institute. (2023). Tackling Teacher Shortages: What Can States and Districts Do?
  8. Learning Policy Institute. (2023). A Coming Crisis in Teaching? Teacher Supply, Demand, and Shortages in the U.S.
  9. Learning Policy Institute. (2023). Teacher Turnover: Why It Matters and What We Can Do About It.
  10. Learning Policy Institute. (2022). Where Have All the Teachers Gone?
  11. Learning Policy Institute. (2016). Solving the Teacher Shortage: How to Attract and Retain Excellent Educators.
  12. National Education Association. (2023–2024). Various reports on educator workforce and retention.
  13. Pew Research Center. (2023). What's It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today? Fall 2023 Survey.
  14. RAND Corporation. (2025). Teacher Well-Being, Pay, and Intentions to Leave in 2025.
  15. RAND Corporation. (2024). Larger Pay Increases and Adequate Benefits Could Improve Teacher Retention.
  16. RAND Corporation. (2024). Teacher Well-Being and Intentions to Leave in 2024.
  17. Tyton Partners. (2024). Spring 2024 Data on What's Causing K–12 Teachers to Quit.
  18. U.S. Congress. (2023). Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2023 (S.2417).
  19. University of North Carolina. (2024). Examining the Impact of Teacher Working Conditions on Retention.
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