The Federal Role in Ending Teacher Shortages

Abstract

The United States needs a nationwide Marshall Plan for teaching, similar to that enacted after World War II to rebuild Europe, but for rebuilding the teaching profession. A Marshall Plan for teaching should focus the powers of the federal government on supporting recruitment, preparation, support, and retention in teaching. This report outlines seven ways the federal government can end teacher shortages: (1) increase educators' net compensation, (2) strengthen recruitment by making teacher prepartion debt-free, (3) expand high-retention pathways into teaching, (4) provide high-quality mentoring, (5) enable educators to expand and share expertise, (6) incentivize the redesign of schools, and (7) rethink school accountability.