Staffed Up
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Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPThe future for teacher diversity in a world of DEI scrutiny
Districts and states are being advised to “tread carefully” as some continue to promote teacher diversity efforts in a difficult legal and policy landscape.
By Anna Merod • June 20, 2025 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPIs federal support waning for registered teacher apprenticeships?
Advocates question the Trump administration’s workforce priorities amid the Labor Department’s cancellation of a $12 million contract to accelerate the model.
By Anna Merod • Updated May 30, 2025 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPWhat’s next for the registered teacher apprenticeship movement?
To keep high-quality programs running, it’s crucial to have sustainable financing and to amplify district and state voices.
By Anna Merod • April 30, 2025 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPInnovative K-12 staffing strategies are feeling the brunt of federal funding cuts
Efforts to improve recruitment and retention and to diversify the workforce are being impacted by the Education Department’s grant cancellations.
By Anna Merod • Updated March 4, 2025 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPAre uncertified teachers still the answer?
Some researchers frown upon the practice, encouraging states and districts to pursue alternative strategies for addressing teacher shortages.
By Anna Merod • Jan. 30, 2025 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UP3 K-12 staffing lessons learned in 2024
Schools continue to navigate persistent workforce challenges, including a shortage of special education teachers and gaps in diversity.
By Anna Merod • Dec. 19, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPCommission on Civil Rights probes special educator shortage
The bipartisan body is expected to issue a report next year that will provide recommendations to Congress and the president.
By Kara Arundel • Nov. 18, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPMajority of states see decrease in student-teacher ratios post-COVID
Just eight states had more students per teacher post-pandemic, per a K-12 Dive analysis of NCES data. What does that say about teacher shortages?
By Anna Merod • Nov. 4, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPWhere does teacher diversity stand?
With students of color comprising 52% of public school enrollment in 2022-23, new data illustrates the extent to which the “representation gap” persists.
By Anna Merod • Updated Sept. 27, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPCan AI ease teacher workload as a recruitment, retention strategy?
K-12 leaders and experts weigh in on whether AI tools have the potential to make teachers’ jobs more manageable and if that can ease staffing challenges.
By Anna Merod • Aug. 26, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPHow registered principal apprenticeships are filling gaps 1 year in
North Dakota education leaders say they rolled out the model to better address teacher shortages and improve student achievement.
By Anna Merod • July 31, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPHow a district boosted recruitment, retention with affordable child care
Louisa County Public Schools launched its Little Lions Learning Lab in 2019, charging educators and staff just $400 per child per month.
By Anna Merod • June 25, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPCan paying college tutors help drive interest in teaching?
Compensating college students to tutor in K-12 is expanding the pool — and potentially opening eyes to future careers.
By Anna Merod • May 30, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPA Missouri registered apprenticeship program helps fill special education teaching vacancies
Half the state’s special educators still lack proper certifications, but Missouri State’s Pathways for Paraprofessionals Program is showing signs of success.
By Anna Merod • April 30, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPDistricts increasingly turn to 4-day school weeks to recruit, retain staff
About 2,100 schools across 900 districts have adopted four-day school weeks, as of the 2022-23 school year, said an Oregon State University researcher.
By Anna Merod • March 14, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPMultilingual teachers in short supply as newcomer needs grow
Some schools are beginning to tap into higher ed partnerships to recruit teachers who work with English learners and newcomer students.
By Anna Merod • Feb. 22, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPWhy staffing shortages in school nutrition persist — and what districts can do about them
School nutrition directors share what works as they navigate staffing issues, especially as universal school meal policies gain traction.
By Anna Merod • Jan. 31, 2024 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UP4 key school staffing solution themes that emerged in 2023
From a looming fiscal cliff to creative recruitment and retention strategies, here’s what stood out in the past year of our Staffed Up coverage.
By Anna Merod • Dec. 22, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPHow has substitute teacher staffing changed since the pandemic?
Teacher shortage solutions and pandemic adjustments to substitute pay and entry requirements have had impacts on the sub pool.
By Anna Merod • Nov. 17, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPBy the Numbers: Investments build for registered teacher apprenticeships
As of October 2023, 26 states have registered teacher apprenticeship programs with the U.S. Department of Labor, according to New America.
By Anna Merod • Oct. 30, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPAre virtual educators an answer to teacher shortages?
One live virtual teaching company, Elevate K-12, notes an uptick in district interest in its services amid severe, ongoing educator vacancies.
By Anna Merod • Sept. 29, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UP4 ways to steer around bus driver shortages
As widespread staffing problems persist, school transportation experts share strategies that are working for some districts.
By Anna Merod • Aug. 28, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPWhat does the looming ESSER spending deadline mean for teacher shortages?
Experts weigh in on the challenges ahead as economic headwinds point to staff cuts in the near future.
By Anna Merod • July 10, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UP4 ways to tackle retention, recruitment challenges in early childhood education
Universal preschool and overall enrollment are gaining steam, but staffing issues persist.
By Anna Merod • May 31, 2023 -
Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive
STAFFED UPHow would an affirmative action repeal impact teacher diversity?
The lack of teachers of color in K-12 schools may worsen if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down race-conscious admission practices, higher ed experts fear.
By Anna Merod • April 28, 2023
