Reports of teacher shortages across the country are rampant. Ross Izard, a senior education policy analyst at the Denver-based Independence Institute, told The Heartland Institute recently, “The notion of a teacher shortage is not a new one. We should be careful about accepting the wholesale argument we’re experiencing a massive teacher shortage. The conversation is far more nuanced than that.” A paper published today by The Hamilton Project echoes Izard’s sentiments:
In recent years, accounts of school districts having difficulties hiring teachers have proliferated. However, there is little evidence to suggest the existence of a pervasive, nationwide teacher shortage. Teacher shortages are specific to certain places and hard-to-staff subjects, demanding a similarly targeted policy response.
While anecdotal accounts of substantial teacher shortages are increasingly common, we present evidence that such shortages are not a general phenomenon but rather are highly concentrated by subject (e.g., mathematics, science, and special education) and in schools (e.g., those serving disadvantaged students) where hiring and retaining teachers are chronic problems.
The paper’s authors “discuss several promising, complementary approaches for addressing teacher shortages,” but only one is needed: removing regulation and allowing the market to work its magic.
SOURCE: The Hamilton Project
IN THIS ISSUE:
- TAX-CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS: Education experts are gearing up to argue in favor of tax-credit scholarships ahead of the release of President Donald Trump’s tax reform plan.
- ESAs: The American Enterprise Institute declares education savings accounts “ The New Frontier in School Choice” in its newly released book.
- NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire’s universal education savings account bill gets the axe from the state House.
- NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina’s House of Representatives has approved expanding charter schools.
Common Core and Curriculum Watch
- X-RATED: In Mississippi, students can access obscene material from their school-issued computers, an audit finds.
- OHIO: Ohio lawmakers introduce a bill to repeal Common Core.
- HOMEWORK: Michigan teachers who refuse to do non-contracted work are not assigning homework.
- DeVOS: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos claims the whole argument surrounding Common Core has basically been done away with.
- FED ED: The Washington Post reports Trump “is expected to sign an executive order that would require Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to study how the federal government ‘has unlawfully overstepped state and local control.'”
- REGULATION: Positive regulation reform is coming for non-profit and for-profit universities, Watchdog.org reports.
- MEXICO: Some Mexican students cross the border every day to attend U.S. schools.
Teresa Mull is a policy advisor for education and an editor at The Heartland Institute.
