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NEA Issue Explainer

Educator Pipeline

Ensuring that students in every community have caring, committed, profession-ready educators means improving strategies for recruiting, preparing, and supporting educators at all stages.
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By: National Education Association
Published: March 31, 2022
This issue explainer originally appeared on NEA.org

Strengthening the Educator Pipeline and Supporting Aspiring Educators

As of February 2022, there were 335,000 fewer public-school educators in our nation than before the pandemic; the shortage of Black and Latino teachers is especially pronounced. In fact, there are shortages across all job categories in education, from transportation to food service.

In a 2022 survey, 55 percent of NEA members said they were considering leaving the profession they love earlier than they’d planned because they feel overwhelmed and under-supported.

These shortages have been an issue for decades and now are at crisis levels in areas such as mathematics, science, special education, and bilingual education. Educators love what they do—they just need more support to pursue their passion for teaching, guiding, and supporting students.

Solutions include increasing pay and benefits; creating grow-your-own programs to recruit and prepare educators to teach and work in their local communities; fully funding teacher residency programs; and providing high-quality professional development for all educators.

Yesse Cano Quote for Issue Explainer Page
“I am committed to nurturing my students’ development and advocating for everything they need and deserve, and many others are just as dedicated as I am. We need more programs to support us and strengthen our professional practice so we can be there for students, and stay in the careers we love.”
Quote by: Yesse Cano, Aspiring Educator, Oklahoma Panhandle State University and NEA Board member

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Speak Up For Students and Public Schools

When we act together and lift our voices together in unison, we can improve the lives of children.
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You belong in the movement! Join today to belong to the movement of educators and school staff fighting for the pay and working conditions we all deserve.
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Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education

The Oregon Education Association (OEA) is a union committed to the cause of providing the basic right of great public education to every student. OEA represents about 41,000 educators working in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public schools and community colleges. OEA’s membership includes licensed teachers and specialists, classified/education support professionals (ESPs), community college faculty, retired educators, and student members. OEA members also belong to the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA).
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The Oregon Education Association is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org