Teacher Labor Markets Trends Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Literature Review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the education system, particularly affecting teacher recruitment, retention, and hiring. Over three years after schools closed, new data and research reveal how the pandemic altered the teacher workforce landscape. Understanding these impacts can guide school and district leaders in making informed decisions about hiring, support, and compensation to meet the needs of staff, students, and communities. Before the pandemic, concerns about teacher shortages due to dwindling interest in the profession and more appealing career options were already prevalent. The pandemic has intensified the urgency for policy and practice solutions to attract qualified teachers and retain those in the profession.

Key Topics

1. Teacher Vacancies
2. Teacher Hiring Trends
3. Teacher Retention
4. Teacher Job Satisfaction and Morale
5. Implications

Suggested Citation

Southern Regional Education Board & Tennessee Education Research Alliance. (2023). Teacher Labor Markets Trends Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Tennessee Education Research Alliance Working Paper).