Advancing Quality Teaching for All Schools - Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Teaching Workforce - August 2020

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia

Advancing quality teaching for all schools analyzes how the COVID-19 crisis reshaped educator labor markets and working conditions. The report examines teacher workforce phases—attract, prepare, and retain—highlighting trends such as reduced interest in the profession, changes in teacher candidacy and certification, and heightened health and safety risks. It also offers guidance for state education agencies on navigating short- and long-term implications, including funding strategies and principles to mitigate impacts on vulnerable student populations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Implications of COVID-19 in the Teacher Workforce

Attract

ADVANCING QUALITY TEACHING FOR ALL SCHOOLS Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Teaching Workforce AUGUST 2020 Lisa Lachlan, Lois Kimmel, Mizrav, and Lynn Holdheide Etai Authors Lisa Lachlan, Lois Kimmel, Etai Mizrav, and Lynn Holdheide Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the following individuals for their thoughtful reviews: Michael O’Connor, Rhode Island Department of Elementary & Secondary Education; Terra Bennett Brown, California Department of Education; Christina Curnow, American Institutes for Research; Jessica Johnson, American Institutes for Research; Gretchen Weber, American Institutes for Research; and Roderick Theobald, National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education. Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis will undoubtedly have dire consequences for all sectors of public education. The rapid transition to remote modes of instruction in the spring of 2020 and the subsequent anxiety about the start of the 2020–21 academic year have highlighted the critical need for well-prepared educators. Although calls for additional funding for public education are significant,1 at the time of this writing, a federal bailout is still in question, which leaves most state education agencies (SEAs) with grim outlooks and limited options (Green, 2020) . Many states have considered cutting billions of dollars from state and school districts’ budgets for the 2020–21 school year to account for the precipitous drop in sales and income tax revenue (Learning Policy Institute, n.d.) . Like the pandemic and the systemic racism plaguing our nation, budget cuts and related workforce trends may more significantly impact districts that serve a disproportionate number of Black, Indigenous, and Latino students and students from low-income households (Burnette & Will, 2020; Education & Labor Committee, 2020; Learning Policy Institute, Center on Great Teachers & Leaders [GTL Center], and CEEDAR Center, 2020) . The impact of the pandemic alone has led to speculation regarding impacts to the teaching profession (De La Rosa, 2020) . Education scholars and polls suggest shifting trends: decreased enrollment in educator preparation programs, decreased teacher interest in staying in the profession, and increased considerations for retirement (Kurtz & Bushweller, 2020; Lardieri, 2020; Perry, 2020) . The pandemic has further generated policy shifts to teacher candidacy, licensure, and certification (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education [AACTE], 2020b) . Underlying all these shifts are, of course, significant changes to teachers’ working conditions, for example, uncertainty and changing schooling formats, a new focus on remote learning, and new protocols for health and safety, as well as significant learning loss and the social and emotional needs of students. Further, with nearly 24% of the U.S. teaching workforce at risk of health complications from COVID-192 (KFF, 2020), the health and safety risks created by the pandemic may also contribute to dramatic shifts in the workforce despite schools needing veteran teacher expertise now more than ever. Our team at the GTL Center has been watching historical and current trends in the teacher labor market and has considerable concern for the impacts COVID-19 will have on the profession and vulnerable student populations. Addressing teacher shortages has been our focus for years. We recognize that forecasted and potential workforce trends may further exacerbate the lack of access to effective teachers in underserved communities. The pandemic and social unrest of 2020 will not reduce the number of students who need great 1 In June, education leaders testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, sharing their chief concerns regarding budget challenges (Green, 2020) . 2 Factors that put someone at risk include being at least 65 years old; having diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmon

FAQs

What is the report’s purpose for state education agencies?

The report is intended for SEAs considering the short- and long-term implications of COVID-19 on the educator workforce, including key trends and potential impacts on the teaching profession.

How does the report structure its discussion of the teacher workforce?

It frames the discussion around major phases in the teacher continuum: attract, prepare, and retain, using the GTL Center Talent Development Framework.

What workforce impacts does the report raise during the “Attract” phase?

It highlights labor market changes such as unemployment in other sectors that may increase the supply of potential educators, along with the possibility that teaching becomes a more desirable occupational option.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia