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Published: March 31, 2022
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.
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Looking for more ways to take action?
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NEA Urges NO Vote on Parents Bill of Rights Act, H.R. 5
Submitted on March 23, 2023
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NEA Urges NO Votes During Markup of Parents Bill of Rights and Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Acts
Submitted on March 7, 2023
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NEA Comments for House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on “Tackling Teacher Shortages”
Submitted on May 25, 2022
Bills in Congress
Learn NEA's position on pending legislation related to public education, and take action to protect our schools
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Support
S. 3681 Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act www.congress.gov
Introduced on January 30, 2024
A bill that would establish a grant program to help schools recruit, train, and retain paraeducators.
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Support
S 2731 Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2023 www.congress.gov
Introduced on September 6, 2023
A bill that would raise the educator tax deduction from $300 to $1,000.
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Support
S 2369 PREP Act of 2023 www.congress.gov
Introduced on July 19, 2023
A bill that would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for teacher and school leader quality enhancement and to enhance institutional aid.
We're speaking up for our students and public schools. Visit our Action Center to find out what you can do.
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NEA’s Aspiring Educators Program supports, develops, and empowers diverse, pre-service teachers with the resources, networks, and opportunities to lead in their schools, communities, and in all phases of their career.
