See also
Introduction and summary
The teaching profession is foundational, as it prepares students for the workforce of every other industry. Yet there are not enough highly skilled teachers to meet classroom demand.1 This teacher shortage crisis is fueled by declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs, high attrition among experienced educators, and even higher turnover rates among novice teachers.2 The United States cannot fix its teacher shortage and quality crises through recruitment alone.3 Retaining and developing teachers, particularly novice educators, is a promising strategy to address the chronic national shortage, ensure educators are adequately prepared and can mitigate the quality crisis, and contribute to the long-term health of the education system.
The data confirm the urgency of this challenge. Approximately 44 percent of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years.4 During the 2022-23 school year alone, an alarming 30 percent of teachers with less than three years of experience left their school, as did 26 percent of those with three to seven years of teaching experience.5 This trend continues to affect school operations directly. In the 2024-25 school year, 35 percent of schools reported one or more teaching vacancies, and 50 percent of school leaders felt their school was understaffed.6 Despite this intense pressure, public schools are not keeping pace.
The failure to retain effective teachers has profound consequences, directly translating to declines in student achievement and financial loss.7 Effective teachers are essential for academic recovery and crucial to reversing pandemic-era learning losses.8 The 2024 National Assessment for Educational Progress performance results reveal significant setbacks,with both fourth and eighth grade reading performance declining by 5 points since 2019.9 In math, fourth grade performance declined by 3 points, while eighth graders sawan 8-point decrease.10 These trends leave roughly 70 percent of fourth and eighth graders below proficient in reading, and 61 percent of fourth graders and 72 percent of eighth graders below proficient in math.11 Many U.S. students also struggle academically through high school, with 65 percent of twelfth graders lacking proficient reading skills, and 78 percent lacking grade-level math competence.12
Beyond domestic outcomes, effective teaching is a critical factor in maintaining U.S. global competitiveness.13 Analyses of the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study show that the United States lags behind other countries with a high or very high (0.700 or greater) human development index (HDI) in fourth grade math and science, including China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Norway.14 HDI measures average achievement in various aspects of human development, including years of schooling and standards of living.15 As technological advancements, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, drive global innovation,16 boosting U.S. students’ skills in math, science, and other STEM subjects is necessary for their future success and the country’s economic security.17 To accomplish this goal, a concerted effort is required to address barriers to teacher effectiveness, starting with the development, support, and retention of early career teachers who are in the beginning stage of their careers.
To support this effort, the Center for American Progress conducted a national survey of early career educators. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the specific experiences and factors that have assisted or hindered early career teachers’ persistence and sustained retention in the field. The results offer a starting point for policymakers looking to strengthen the educator workforce and improve teacher retention.
Landscape of early career teachers and induction supports
The teaching workforce is comprised of 3.8 million full-time and part-time public school teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.18 Within this population, a significant portion, 36 percent, has nine years of experience or less in the classroom, and 7 percent has less than three years of experience.19
To support these new teachers, school districts traditionally offer new educator orientations and induction and mentorship programs. Thirty-one states mandate these supports, with program lengths ranging from one to four years.20 Induction programs typically involve pairing a new educator with an experienced teacher who can provide them with nonevaluative feedback and guidance as they navigate the early years of their career.21 Programs also often include additional professional learning experiences such as seminars and collaborative time with other new or experienced educators.22
Research consistently demonstrates that when new educators receive comprehensive support, both educator and student outcomes improve.23 A 2017 study from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education found that new educators who receive robust induction supports, including mentorships, seminars, and supportive communication from leadership, were “significantly less likely to migrate schools or leave teaching in their second year and across 5 years.”24 This finding is supported by a comparative analysis of the former Texas Beginning Educator Support System (TxBESS) statewide induction and mentorship program.25 Participants in the TxBESS program remained in the public school system at notably higher rates (87.8 percent) within their first three years compared with nonparticipants (83.1 percent).26
For these programs to be effective, studies suggest they must select educators who are effective instructors to serve as mentors; dedicate time weekly for mentors and new educators to meet; guarantee both mentors and new educators will be granted the necessary time to work together and have reduced workloads; and last multiple years to allow new educators to build relationships with their mentors and receive ongoing support.27 These studies point to the effectiveness of comprehensive induction programs that consider the many different types of support early career educators may need and the importance of an appropriate level of intensity, duration, and effective mentorship.
Research has found that early career teachers who receive comprehensive induction and mentorship support have a greater intention to remain in the teaching profession and continue to teach at their current school than their peers not involved in an induction program.28 However, other factors may affect their sustained retention such as the placement of novice teachers in more demanding classrooms—including those with students who lack the proficiency to learn the required material or who create serious behavioral problems—without adequate support.29
Beyond retention, strong induction programs affect the teaching practices of early career educators and can lead to improved student outcomes. A 2004 report assessed the impact of the California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program, which provides mentorship to all new teachers in the state, and its companion program on teaching practices, the California Formative Assessment and Support System for Teachers.30 Researchers found that early career teachers who demonstrated high engagement in the program outperformed those with low engagement across 7 of 10 measures.31 These measures were instructional planning, reflection on practice, percentage of questions (posed to students) that are intermediate, percentage of questions that are open, percentage of feedback (given to students) that is positive, percentage of feedback that is substantive and specific, and depth of student understanding. Crucially, the students of highly engaged early career teachers also outscored their peers on standardized tests, demonstrating that comprehensive induction and mentorship are effective tools for advancing student learning and improving test scores.32
Methodology of CAP’s study
CAP’s study employed a quantitative survey design to identify the key factors that have either assisted or hindered the retention and persistence of early career teachers in the field. The target population included both current and former educators with five years or less of teaching experience. A total of 309 participants (n = 309) representing 38 states and Washington, D.C., were successfully recruited for the study.33 Given the objective to reach a broad and diverse pool of educators, participants were primarily recruited through a snowball sampling technique. This involved disseminating the survey to initial seed organizations, including professional teacher associations and listservs of educational organizations that were then encouraged to share the survey with eligible educators. The survey was also disseminated across social media platforms.
The survey instrument was specifically designed to gather self-reported data on preparation, induction, and mentorship experiences, as well as recommended policy solutions from early career teachers. Survey items consisted exclusively of Likert scale, multiple choice, and ranked response question formats to ensure data consistency and facilitate large-scale statistical analysis. The survey was structured around five core domains: 1) participant characteristics, 2) preparation experience, 3) induction support and development, 4) contributing factors to retention, and 5) policy recommendations.
Item development was grounded in an extensive review of existing peer-reviewed research and identified gaps concerning early career teachers’ retention. The instrument structure was informed by established national questionnaires including the National Teacher and Principal Survey, which is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics and evaluates the characteristics and direct experiences of teachers and school leaders.34 Before dissemination, the survey underwent an internal pilot process with policy experts and former educators to verify item clarity and timing. The final instrument also received an internal legal and ethical review.
The online survey remained active for a period of 37 days. Prior to accessing the survey questions, all participants were required to provide informed written consent through the Google Forms platform, acknowledging the voluntary and self-reported nature of their responses. Using Google Forms and Google Sheets software, the authors conducted basic statistical analysis to characterize the sample and report key experiences.
Survey findings
Key takeaways from CAP’s survey of early career educators include:
- One in 3 participants reported not participating in a formal induction program for novice teachers.
- Nearly 70 percent of participants reported that they either have considered leaving or already left the classroom, with 77 percent reporting “working conditions,” 73 percent reporting “lack of support,” and 69 percent reporting their level of pay as a reason why.
- More than 64 percent of participants “disagree” or “strongly disagree” that their pay adequately reflects the cost of living in their area. Only 11 percent “agree” or “strongly agree.”
- Participants identified educator pay, employee benefits, and mental health supports as the top three issues policymakers should address immediately.
- Participants identified “increased salary floors” and “student debt elimination” as the best policies to address educator pay, increased paid time off and sick time as the best policies to address employee benefits, and contractually provided mental health days and dedicated planning time as the best policies to address educator mental health.
1. Participant characteristics
More than 92 percent of survey participants identified as current classroom educators, while roughly 7 percent reported that they had left the classroom within their first five years of teaching. Among the 7 percent who reported they are no longer teaching, 50 percent left after five years in the classroom, 30 percent left the profession between two and three years, and 10 percent left after just one year. Participants included those holding licensure at all levels of pre-K-12 education. To better understand who participated in CAP’s survey, explore the figure below. (see Figure 1)
Participant demographics
- Gender identity: Most participants—81.2 percent—were female, while 15.2 percent were male; 2.3 percent were nonbinary; 1 percent were transgender; and 0.3 percent preferred not to answer.
- Race: Most participants—83.5 percent—were white, while 7.4 percent were Black; 3.2 percent were Asian; 2.6 percent were two or more races; and 0.3 percent were American Indian or Alaska Native. One percent reported their race as other, and 1.9 percent preferred not to answer.
2. Preservice preparation experiences of early career educators
Comprehensive and high-quality preparation is critical to teachers’ effectiveness once they enter the classroom.35 Participants were asked about their preparation and the types of support that shaped their experiences. The majority completed their teacher preparation through a traditional program at a public four-year university (62.8 percent), while 18.1 percent participated in traditional programs at a private university. Other participants completed their teacher preparation at alternative programs outside of higher education (9.7 percent) and alternative programs based at a university (9.4 percent).36 Of the individuals who completed an alternative program, most were in teacher residencies (32.8 percent),37 followed by registered teacher apprenticeship programs (16.4 percent),38 and paraeducator-to-teacher programs (10.4 percent).39
As it relates to the specific components of their preparation program, the overwhelming majority of respondents (84 percent) reported participating in field-based experiences—typically an introductory practice where future educators observe, assist, and participate in more limited activities in a classroom setting. Eighty-four percent of respondents also reported participating in a more intensive student teaching placement. Student teaching requirements are typically governed by state policy, which dictates a minimum number of hours.40 Most of the participants (55 percent) reported having to complete 250 or more hours of student teaching, mostly unpaid (87 percent), during their preparation program.
3. Induction support and development for new educators
Most respondents (65.7 percent) had participated in some kind of formal induction program for novice teachers. The length of time they participated in these programs varied, with 55.4 percent having participated for one year, 34.2 percent for two years, and 10.4 percent for three or more years. The most common supports provided by their induction programs are listed in Figure 2.
The majority of respondents (83.5 percent) also had a mentor teacher assigned to them during their first year of teaching and met with them on at least a weekly basis (43.8 percent). Mentor teachers supported early career teachers with understanding district- and schoolwide processes (81.3 percent), classroom management (63.9 percent), classroom observations (57.7 percent), lesson planning (53.5 percent), and career advancement (32.8 percent).
When asked how well their induction programs prepared them for various aspects of their job, on a Likert scale of “very well” (5) to “not well at all” (1), more than half of participants reported that they were “not well” or “not well at all” prepared to meet the needs of students with complex needs, such as English language learners and students with disabilities. Nearly half of participants reported that they did not feel adequately prepared to authentically engage families, while about 40 percent stated that their induction program did not prepare them to integrate technology into instruction.
4. Factors contributing to early career educator retention
Nearly 70 percent of survey participants expressed that they either have considered leaving or already left the classroom. The biggest contributors to wanting to leave were poor working conditions, a lack of support, and low pay. Participants who selected “other” said issues that led them to leave or consider leaving the classroom included challenges with administration or parents, political influences in education, accountability issues, and student behavior.
Sixty-five percent of participants shared that they either have considered leaving or left their district or school to teach elsewhere. These participants listed “lack of support” (68 percent) as their top reason, with “working conditions” (60 percent) falling closely behind. Level of pay or salary (41 percent), “low student achievement” (29 percent), and “limited advancement opportunities” (20 percent) were lesser contributing factors. Participants who selected “other” (23 percent) included location, issues with administration, and student behavior as some of the reasons they considered leaving or left their district or school.
Many factors can affect retention rates for educators, including pay, support from staff and administration, and contract benefits. To better understand how early career educators viewed these factors, CAP’s survey asked participants to rank how much they agree or disagree with certain statements. (see Figure 5)
Notably, more than 64 percent of participants “disagree” or “strongly disagree” that their pay adequately reflects the cost of living in their area, while only 11.6 percent “strongly agree” or “agree”. The majority of participants disagreed or strongly disagreed with each statement regarding the level of educator pay.
Alongside pay, the benefits a district provides to its educators are an important part of supporting professionals. While nearly all participants reported receiving employer-provided health insurance, only 57.8 percent reported being provided a 401(k) with employer contributions, 38.3 percent reported that their contract includes paid maternity leave, and just 26.6 percent reported that their contract includes paid parental leave. CAP’s survey results also suggest that there could be a correlation between considering leaving or leaving the profession and the provision of paid maternity or parental leave. Participants with access to either paid maternity or parental leave were more than 11 percent less likely to report considering leaving or leaving the profession than those without either. Those who reported having paid parental leave—which applies to all parents—were more than 13 percent less likely to report considering leaving or leaving the profession.
5. Policy recommendations from early career educators
In addition to asking questions about early career educators’ experiences, CAP’s survey polled educators on the policy issues that mean the most to them and the policy solutions they think would be most beneficial. These issues included: educator pay or salary, educator access to affordable housing, educator benefit packages, access to high-quality professional development, educator mental health, and career advancement pathways.
Participants were asked to rank the policy issues based on which ones they felt were most important for policymakers to address immediately. Using a weighted average, the policy issues were ranked as follows:
- Educator pay
- Educator benefits
- Mental health supports for educators
- Access to affordable housing for educators
- Access to high-quality professional development
- Career advancement pathways for educators
To learn more about the policy solutions that early career educators recommended to address these issues, explore the tables below.
Educator pay
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would most improve educator pay.
Educator access to affordable housing
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would best address educator access to affordable housing.
Contractually provided educator benefits
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would most improve educator benefit packages.
Access to high-quality professional development
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would most increase access to high-quality professional development.
Mental health supports for educators
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would best address educator mental health.
Career advancement pathways
Participants were provided the following options and asked to select which policy solution they felt would best address career advancement pathways.
How states are successfully supporting new educators
Although educator attrition has been on the rise, some states have successfully implemented programs to better support new educators.41
Delaware is one state that has relatively low attrition rates for early career educators, with more than 88 percent of early career educators remaining in the field after the 2022-23 school year.42 Delaware’s Department of Education partners with districts to implement a four-year induction program for new educators through its Comprehensive Induction Program (CIP).43 The program started in 1994 as a pilot mentorship program in just three districts but was expanded statewide in 2004 due to its initial successes.44 The CIP includes mentorship and professional learning experiences with a focus on instructional mentoring during the first two years and professional learning during the last two years.45 It starts by pairing new educators with induction coaches—current educators who have satisfactory evaluations and have gone through training for coaches of educators—who they meet with at least monthly to receive feedback and action steps on all aspects of teaching, including planning, assessing, and analyzing.46 A 2017 statewide survey of the program found that more than 70 percent of educators felt that the additional support improved their instruction, positively affected student learning, and played a significant role in keeping them in the classroom.47
In 2022, Louisiana launched a comprehensive induction program known as the New Teacher Experience.48 The program has four core components: asynchronous learning modules, mentoring, affinity groups, and a new teacher of the year award. While the program’s learning modules are online and independent, first-year educators get the opportunity to practice and apply the concepts they learn during follow-up in-person sessions, and mentors are aware of the content of the modules so that they can be applied to mentoring sessions as well.49 Mentors go through a selection process and receive both initial training and ongoing support.50 It is highly encouraged that new educators are assigned a mentor educator who works in the same building as them.51 To improve collaboration between new educators and create a supportive environment, optional affinity groups meet monthly, led by a highly evaluated educator.52 Finally, the new teacher of the year award gives schools an opportunity to recognize exceptional new educators.53 All finalists are also invited to serve as advisers to the state department of education in further recognition of their hard work.54 In 2023, Louisiana’s first-year educator retention rate increased by 5 percentage points, and 89 percent of surveyed new educators said they “saw themselves teaching at their current school in 1-5 more years.”55
Studies also point to starting educator pay as a significant factor in attrition.56 Only 13 states and Washington, D.C., offer a starting salary of at least $50,000 for educators.57 On average, educators make 26.4 percent less than professionals with similar levels of education.58 They are three times more likely than other workers in the United States to hold multiple jobs,59 an experience that is even more common for first-year educators.60 Paying educators a living wage could decrease the need for early career educators to hold a second position and give them more time and support to further develop their skills. In recognition of this, some states are raising minimum educator salaries. In the 2022-23 school year, average pay for a starting educator was up nearly 4 percent from the year prior, the largest annual increase in at least 14 years.61 New Mexico, for example, raised base teacher salaries for all levels of educators in 2022, including bumping first-year educators up to a minimum of $50,000, ultimately increasing educator salaries by 17 percent on average.62
Impacts of the current political context
Despite the growing evidence that new teachers lack the support and skills needed to be successful in the first years of teaching, since taking office in January, the Trump administration has jeopardized funding for federal programs that support experienced and new teachers, as well as the students they serve.63 In June, the administration froze $6.2 billion of congressionally appropriated funds for school districts, including $2.2 billion in funding for the Supporting Effective Instruction state grants, which directly support teacher effectiveness and induction programs such as professional development and mentorship.64 This action led to panic across states and districts, leading to changes in academic programming and teacher development.65 The administration was eventually forced to release funds after bipartisan pressure from Senate Republicans and Democrats and litigation initiated by school districts, teachers, and nonprofit organizations.66 But other programs that support teacher induction—such as the Teacher Quality Partnership program authorized under Title II of the Higher Education Act and the Supporting Effective Educator Development program—have been terminated indefinitely, hurting efforts to retain teachers.67 The Teacher and School Leader Incentive program also remains in limbo, further undermining support for novice teachers.68
Policy recommendations
When considering policy solutions to address the retention of early career educators, it is important to bring educators to the table to understand what they believe would be most effective in supporting their work and development. Participants in the CAP survey listed three issues as their top reasons for considering leaving the profession:
- Poor working conditions
- Lack of support
- Low pay or salary
To address these issues and strengthen the educator workforce, policymakers should consider the following policy solutions.
Bettering working conditions for early career teachers
Throughout the survey, early career teachers repeatedly noted the challenges they face in their working conditions, with many participants citing issues with student behavior and a lack of support from administration and parents. The daily stress of teaching can be amplified by the burden of administrative tasks, political interference that affects what can be taught in the classroom, and managing complex and challenging student behavior that is sometimes rooted in trauma.69 Addressing the working conditions in K-12 public schools is a nuanced issue that requires stronger investments in public education and partnership between educators, parents, administrators, and policymakers. However, one area of necessary improvement this survey examined was the support available to address the mental health needs of early career educators. Participants listed both “contractually provided mental health days” (39.5 percent) and “mandated planning time in the work day” (32.7 percent) as their top policy solutions to address educator mental health.
Contractually provided mental health days
Studies show that the majority of educators are frequently under higher levels of stress than other professionals.70 This stress can lead to burnout and cause teachers to want to leave the profession.71 Educators in CAP’s survey listed addressing educator mental health as the third most important issue for policymakers to resolve, just behind educator pay and benefits. Consequently, early career teachers want state and district policymakers to look to teacher contracts as a mechanism for addressing this issue by, for example, providing a set number of paid mental health days per year. In 2022, for instance, Illinois passed a bill that requires full-time district employees to be provided at least five fully paid mental health days per year.72 While some districts attest that their paid sick time can be used for mental health days, it is important to clarify this flexibility for teachers and school administrators and to facilitate a culture of acceptance so that teachers and other school officials feel empowered to take mental health days when they need them.73
Dedicated planning time
Planning during the workday to develop and collaborate on upcoming lessons, grade classwork, and communicate with parents, among other tasks, is an essential daily responsibility for educators. Without adequate time to complete these tasks, teachers are left to either perform work outside of their paid contractual hours or fall behind, which can have meaningful consequences for their course design, their ability to support students, and their own well-being.74 On average teachers are provided 47 minutes of planning time per day at the elementary level and 51 minutes per day at the secondary level.75 When broken down by individual or collaborative planning time, however, 47 percent of principals reported their educators get three hours or less of individual planning time per week.76 Only 16 states require a portion of a teacher’s work hours to be designated for planning time, with Missouri requiring the most at 250 minutes per week or 50 minutes per day.77
Despite educators consistently voicing the need for additional planning time, the average amount has only increased by a few minutes over the past decade.78 To ensure educators have adequate time to plan for their upcoming lessons and manage their workload, both states and districts should consider policies and school schedules that include and/or increase mandated uninterrupted daily planning time in teacher contracts. For example, the National Education Association recommends between 6.8 hours and 7.8 hours of planning time per week,79 significantly higher than the current average of 4.4 hours.80 International examples show that teachers in countries with higher student performance have more planning time.81 In Singapore, one of the highest performing countries for student achievement, teachers reported spending 8.2 hours per week on planning and lesson preparation in 2024.82 Meaningful, uninterrupted planning can be accomplished through longer planning blocks as opposed to shorter planning periods that may not be sufficient to plan for deeper learning. One way to accomplish this is to incentivize school districts to adopt schedules that include back-to-back specials and enrichment classes to allow core subject teachers to have longer planning blocks.83 For example, having a 45-minute art block followed by a 45-minute physical education block would extend planning time for core subject teachers to 90 minutes.
Personal development
Policymakers should also explore investments in the personal development of individual teachers by providing funding for districts to establish and maintain affinity groups, where teachers can learn and apply new life skills in areas such as time management, mindfulness, and more.84 Affinity groups, similar to professional learning communities, provide teachers with a network of colleagues with shared interests and experiences and time for peer collaboration and foster a sense of belonging as they navigate new terrain.85 Research suggests that these groups are particularly helpful for teachers of color, who are disproportionately underrepresented in the profession.86 The majority of teachers report that their jobs feel more sustainable and they experience improved well-being when districts invest in both their personal and professional development.87
Improving professional support for early career educators
Supporting early career educators in their professional development can also play a role in retention. As new technology is developed and research advances teaching and learning,88 it is important for educators to have access to professional development opportunities that are high-quality, content-related, and relevant to their roles—as well as uninterrupted time within their days to attend and engage in these opportunities. When survey participants were asked which policy solutions they would find most beneficial to improving access to professional development, they shared an interest in designated funds that educators could use to “cover the costs of professional development opportunities they find” (41 percent) and in “developing teacher-to-teacher and school-to-school networks to collaborate and share best practices” (30 percent).
Professional development partnerships
School districts should be supported and incentivized to establish partnerships with universities so that teacher preparation programs at local campuses can continue to provide relevant training and skill-building to teachers who are new to the classroom.89 These partnerships can give early career teachers access to a variety of trainings to select from depending on their current and future needs. Districts and states should also look to create or expand school-to-school and teacher-to-teacher professional development networks. These networks help teachers develop and disseminate instructional materials, build knowledge, and connect with other educators.90 For example, the Colorado Rural Education Collaborative brings together 89 districts across the state and offers programs such as professional learning communities to support teacher development and increase retention.91
Co-teaching models
Policymakers should also explore other strategies, such as co-teaching models, to support teachers during their first one to two years in the profession to help make teaching demands more manageable.92 Districts can also be intentional about the placement of novice educators, ensuring that inexperienced teachers are not assigned to more challenging classrooms in terms of behavior and academic needs, while maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio.
Participants in the CAP study also noted that they were “not well” or “not well at all” prepared for critical aspects of their role; 54 percent responded that they did not have the necessary skills and tools to educate students with special needs, and 64 percent were not prepared to teach English-language learners. They also expressed being ill-prepared to authentically engage families (49 percent) and effectively manage their classrooms (47 percent). These results highlight gaps that induction programs can address through professional development focused on both skill-building and specific content areas.
Strengthening induction programs
At a minimum, induction programs should include the following components to strengthen early career teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and professional skills: mentorship, content-related professional development, personal development plans, and affinity groups. These supports should run for at least the first two years to be effective.93
In addition to professional development opportunities, early career educators should be provided clear pathways for career advancement. Participants in the CAP survey shared that they believe the most beneficial policy solutions for career advancement pathways would be the creation of “advanced certifications for educators, with clear established pathways to earning” them (39 percent), and “opportunities for advancement included within teacher contracts” (27 percent).
Tiered teacher certifications and advancement pathways
Advancement opportunities tend to be limited to helping teachers move into administrative roles, creating barriers to advancement for educators who wish to remain in the classroom.94 One pathway some states have created for educators is through tiered teacher certifications.95 For example, Wisconsin offers a four-tiered licensure system ranging from one-year licenses to master educator licenses.96 When tiered certification policies provide clear guidelines and state-level incentives through an equitable, outcomes-centered approach,97 they can be effective in elevating the profession and supporting and retaining educators.98 States should develop and include within teacher contracts these advanced certification options with clear pathways to and support for obtaining them to promote growth in the field.
Boosting early career educators’ compensation
Being an educator is a challenging job that requires expertise and deserves financial respect. Roughly 68 percent of participants in the CAP survey said their level of pay was one of the factors that led them to consider leaving or to leave the profession. Participants expressed a desire for “increased salary floors across the board” (48 percent) and “student debt elimination” (23 percent) to address compensation issues.
Increase salary floors
The national average starting salary for educators in the United States is $46,526,99 which is less than the individual income needed to live comfortably in any state across the country.100 Educator salaries have not kept pace with inflation, with educators making on average more than $3,600 less than they did 10 years ago, when adjusted for inflation.101 This low pay causes additional strain and forces some educators to take on a second job.102 States should increase salary floors for all levels of educators to ensure that a starting educator’s salary is enough to support the cost of living in their state. Floors should be increased across the board, as has been done through recent policy changes in New Mexico, to appropriately compensate all educators for their service.103
Make the cost of a teaching degree more affordable
In 2020, the average amount borrowed for an education degree was $29,250 for a bachelor’s degree and $38,230 for a master’s degree.104 These high borrowing costs have made it more challenging to take on the education necessary to become a teacher and remain in the field while compensation is low. Policy proposals must seek to make obtaining a teaching degree more affordable. One strategy is to establish new or strengthen existing state and federal grants and scholarship programs, including Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grants, which support college students who commit to working in a high-need school or field post-graduation.105 The TEACH grant award amount, which is currently $4,000 per year, should be increased to better support aspiring educators.106 States can also implement their own loan forgiveness programs. For example, Illinois’ Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program offers up to $5,000 of relief toward federal Stafford loans for teachers working in low-income schools.107 Finally, federal and state policymakers should provide greater direct funding to institutions for educator preparation programs to lower or eliminate out-of-pocket costs for aspiring teachers.
Yet compensation can include much more than just base salary. Participants also shared policy recommendations to increase access to affordable housing and improve contractually provided benefits.
Offer housing incentives
With low pay and an increase in the cost of housing, educators are facing challenges entering or remaining in the field, particularly in more expensive areas.108 To support access to affordable housing, 62 percent of CAP survey participants said they would prefer to receive “housing stipends that can be applied to their rent or mortgage.” This can look similar to benefits provided by the Oakland Unified School District, which launched a program in 2020 providing up to $1,500 per month for housing to resident teachers during the first five years of their career.109 While some policies and proposals across the country have focused on developing dedicated teacher housing units, it should be noted that less than 2 percent of CAP survey participants selected this option. Respondents seem to instead prefer options that give them the freedom to choose where they live.
Expand paid leave
When it comes to educator benefits, CAP survey participants were most interested in policies that increased both their paid time off (17 percent) and their available sick time (25 percent). Districts should assess the amount of paid time off their educators are guaranteed and the policies around taking time off to ensure accessibility. In a 2024 EdWeek survey, on average educators reported only taking off four days per year.110 This is often due to challenges with time-consuming work necessary in order to take time off, such as developing substitute plans, and a lack of administrator support, particularly when it is challenging to find a substitute teacher.111 Providing educators with an appropriate amount of paid time off and supporting them in using this time can reduce burnout and increase retention.112
Conclusion
Teacher effectiveness is intricately linked to short-term student achievement and long-term outcomes.113 This study highlights the experiences and needs of early career teachers across the country. Policymakers must carefully consider these recommendations to strengthen the supports available to new teachers entering the classroom. Every individual in the U.S. workforce once had a teacher. Without effective educators and a strong teacher pipeline, the future workforce will be less competitive for the jobs of tomorrow and experience fewer economic gains.114 Investing in the teacher workforce requires improving teachers’ working conditions. This means creating an environment that offers flexibility, a supportive network, and personal development opportunities for teachers to manage the stressors of the job.
Furthermore, strengthening the early career teacher workforce calls for sharpening the pedagogical knowledge and skills of new teachers. To achieve this, policymakers should seek to incentivize continued partnerships between school districts and universities to provide relevant training informed by state policy and new and emerging research in the field.115 New teachers also need robust support during their first few years in the classroom, ideally with a co-teacher, especially when assigned to a more demanding teaching post. Finally, early career teachers must be appropriately compensated. Compensation packages must keep pace with inflation and current economic trends, such as the cost of living and housing affordability.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Sara Partridge, Alex Cogan, Madeline Shepherd, Jared Bass and CAP’s Art Team for their valuable contributions to this report and Hailey Gibbs for her thorough fact-checking.