Teacher Education
From rural areas to urban districts, no region is immune to the continued teacher shortage. The Learning Institute estimates over 400,000 teaching positions in the United States are either unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments. As schools face increasing demands, it’s clear that traditional teacher preparation methods aren’t keeping up.
The solution to navigating the shortage? Expanding and accelerating pathways to teacher prep without sacrificing quality.
By harnessing the right combination of AI-powered technology, innovative strategies, and reimagined teaching models, we can accelerate teacher training programs and equip teachers with the skills and support they need to succeed in their careers. This guide explores what has caused the teacher shortage, why accelerating teacher preparation programs can make a difference, and how we can adapt strategies and adopt solutions to accelerate the path from training to teaching.
The teacher shortage is a complex issue with several challenging, converging factors that make it harder to recruit and retain qualified educators. The top challenges contributing to the teacher shortage are:
Increased Stress and Burnout: Teaching is an incredibly demanding profession, and the pressure placed on teachers has intensified in recent years. The demands of managing student behavior, keeping up with curriculum changes, dealing with rising student mental health needs, and fulfilling administrative responsibilities are overwhelming for many. These factors lead to teacher burnout, which often drives qualified educators out of the profession, contributing to the growing shortage. In fact, 44% of K-12 teachers in the United States report feeling burned out “often” or “always.”
Low Salaries: In comparison to other professions requiring a similar level of education, teaching salaries are often far lower. Many teachers are underpaid, especially when you consider the cost of living in certain regions. The financial barriers make the profession less attractive to potential candidates who may be lured into higher-paying jobs outside of education. On average, teachers earned 73.6 cents for every dollar that other professionals made in 2022.
Limited Resources: Schools, particularly in underserved areas, often struggle to provide the resources teachers need. Budget cuts leave classrooms with outdated textbooks, insufficient technology, and inadequate support staff. Teachers must spend their own money on supplies, further discouraging talented individuals from pursuing teaching careers. A survey found that 94% of public school teachers in the United States reported paying for classroom supplies without reimbursement.
Insufficient Professional Development: Teacher preparation programs often focus heavily on initial training but offer limited opportunities for ongoing professional growth. Without robust, accessible professional development, teachers may feel stagnant or unsupported in their careers, reducing retention and discouraging new educators from entering the field. A report indicated that only 29% of teachers are satisfied with the professional development opportunities provided by their schools.
Pandemic-Induced Career Shifts: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped career priorities, as many people reassessed their job satisfaction and work-life balance. Many educators, faced with the stress of remote learning and health risks, opted to leave the profession or shifted to other industries. A survey conducted in 2021 found that nearly one in four teachers were considering leaving their job by the end of the school year, an increase from the typical rate.
Geographic disparities also compound the teacher shortage. For example, rural areas face an especially dire need for qualified teachers. According to the U.S. Department of Education, these regions struggle to attract and retain teachers in specialized subjects such as Special Education, STEM, and Bilingual Education, leading to educational inequities across the country.
The consequences of teacher shortages are far-reaching and touch every aspect of the educational ecosystem:
Larger Class Sizes: One of the immediate effects of a teacher shortage is an increase in class sizes. Larger classes reduce the amount of individualized attention each student receives, which is critical for academic success. Teachers are forced to juggle the needs of more students, making it difficult to provide the personalized instruction that fosters student growth.
Higher Teacher Turnover: When teachers leave the profession due to burnout or stress, the result is high turnover rates. This disrupts the learning environment and creates a cycle where new teachers are constantly being trained and then leaving the profession. High turnover rates increase the workload for the remaining educators, leading to a further strain on resources.
Negative Impact on Student Outcomes: Teacher shortages lead to a drop in the quality of instruction, which has a direct effect on student learning outcomes. With fewer qualified teachers available, students are less likely to receive the consistent, high-quality education they need to succeed. This lack of continuity and expertise hampers students’ academic progress and prepares them poorly for their futures.
Teacher Morale: Teachers who are left to pick up the slack due to understaffing experience increased stress and diminished job satisfaction. This low morale can cause additional teachers to leave, exacerbating the crisis.
This K-12 crisis has only worsened in recent years, making addressing the shortage an urgent and critical issue for educators everywhere. If we fail to act quickly, the impacts on education quality, student achievement, and teacher well-being will only worsen.
With classrooms in desperate need of qualified educators, accelerating teacher preparation is the clear solution. Streamlining the path to teaching doesn’t mean compromising quality; instead, it requires rethinking traditional methods and embracing innovative models that deliver skilled teachers faster. By adopting approaches that combine practical experience, mentorship, and technology, schools can fill vacancies with well-prepared educators who are ready to make an impact from day one.
For example, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is attracting a lot of second-career teachers who want to enter teaching later in life, seeking fulfillment. “It’s really unique to see the different directions people take into education through alternative pathways. Some want a career change, some have always wanted to teach, and others are looking for a way to make a bigger impact. It’s reshaping how we approach preparation,’” said Megan Krupa, Clinical Instructor at ETSU.
Traditional teacher preparation programs have long followed a similar, lengthy path: undergraduate degrees, certification exams, and student teaching experiences. But this approach needs to evolve in response to the rapidly growing demand for teachers. Several alternative models for teacher preparation are already proving successful in fast-tracking highly qualified educators:
These models, particularly when combined with fast-track certification programs like Teachers of Tomorrow, provide a much-needed alternative to traditional, time-consuming methods of teacher preparation. They demonstrate that high-quality teacher training doesn’t need to take several years to complete — it can be condensed into a more efficient, effective timeline.
“Status quo doesn’t work anymore. We have to think outside the box if we want to solve the teacher shortage.” – Lori Dassa, Director of Clinical Experiences at the University of Florida
Accelerating teacher preparation must not come at the expense of quality. There are key strategies to ensure both efficiency and excellence in teacher training:
Through these strategies, teacher preparation programs can accelerate the timeline while still ensuring that teachers are well-equipped to deliver high-quality education to their students.
East Tennessee State University educators reveal strategies they use to accelerate teacher training while ensuring every candidate is fully prepared. Watch now.
Clinical experience is a key component of any teacher preparation program. And even in accelerated models, it cannot be neglected. Clinical experiences provide opportunities for candidates to:
By ensuring that clinical experiences are included in teacher preparation programs, candidates gain the hands-on expertise needed to be truly effective educators. These experiences should be designed to align with the needs of local school districts to ensure that candidates are ready to meet the specific challenges faced by students and schools in their communities.
Helping new teachers succeed isn’t just about getting them in front of students faster—it’s also about giving them the tools, support, and resources they need to thrive throughout their careers. Ensuring long-term success and retention requires a combination of practical training, ongoing mentorship, and a commitment to professional growth. By focusing on these areas, schools can not only prepare teachers for immediate challenges but also equip them for sustained excellence in their roles. Here are three strategies to implement:
A strong foundation in practical experience is essential for ensuring that new teachers can handle the complex realities of the classroom. By integrating activities that foster practical skill-building, such as:
With the right foundation in place, teacher candidates are better prepared for the day-to-day demands of the classroom. Additionally, through video feedback tools like GoReact, candidates can record and review their lessons, receiving feedback that helps them refine their practice and become more effective teachers.
Once teachers enter the profession, mentorship and ongoing professional development (PD) are critical to their continued success. Effective PD programs should include:
These strategies help foster a culture of continuous learning, ensuring that teachers are prepared to meet the evolving needs of their students over the long term.
Explore these fundamental steps to enhance teacher support and professional growth.
Retaining teachers is just as important as preparing them. High turnover rates not only disrupt learning environments but also place significant strain on schools and districts. To combat this, schools must build a supportive culture that prioritizes teacher well-being and professional satisfaction.
By addressing these areas, schools can ensure that new teachers are not only prepared to succeed but are also motivated to stay and contribute to their schools’ success for years to come.
Addressing teacher shortages and improving teacher preparation requires bold, strategic action. With the right tools and approaches, we can accelerate teacher training without compromising quality. By reimagining teacher education models, embracing innovative technologies like GoReact, providing hands-on clinical experiences, and ensuring ongoing professional development, we can build a teacher workforce that is both effective and ready for the classroom.
GoReact stands out as the ideal solution for preparing teachers faster and more efficiently. By using video to provide more opportunities for practice and self-reflection, along with instant and meaningful feedback, GoReact ensures that teacher prep programs can meet the growing demand for qualified educators while maintaining high standards. By integrating GoReact into your teacher preparation strategy, you can significantly improve training outcomes and help educators thrive in real-world classroom environments.
Ready to transform your teacher preparation program? Try GoReact free for 60 days to see how our platform can help you better prepare more teachers, faster.
