School Staff Shortages

Guidance, policy updates and actionable resources for schools & districts experiencing school staff shortages.

  Background

AASA strongly believes federal education policy must address the education staff shortage and acknowledge that schools need a pipeline of high-quality educators to operate, function and provide equitable education to students including support for existing and innovative instructional models. There has been significant movement at federal agencies to address the staffing shortage.

The Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced actions to further expand access to high-quality and affordable pathways into education professions, including residency, grow your own, and Registered Apprenticeship programs. These actions include new funding and technical assistance. 

The Department of Labor issued its final rule altering the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The rule includes two-tiered increases to the minimum salary threshold and the threshold for highly compensated employees (HCE) as well as automatic updates to both thresholds. Districts will have to make the choice about whether to offer newly qualifying employees overtime, to hire additional employees to help lower their workloads, and/or to raise salaries to be above the cap. You can read our recap here.

Additionally announced in April, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant programs will no longer be managed through a designated loan servicer. Instead, we are updating our systems and contact centers to streamline and fully manage these programs through StudentAid.gov. You can read that recap here.

  AASA's Position & Priorities

AASA is committed to advocating for the following:

• Federal education policy must address the educator shortage and acknowledge that schools need a pipeline of high-quality educators to operate, function and provide equitable education to students including support for existing and innovative instructional models.
• Federal efforts to support local education agencies with their teacher and staffing needs must include establishing a commission to address the long-standing teacher shortage exacerbated by the pandemic.
• Support the preservation and expansion of resources for future and current teachers to address the teacher shortage issue.
• The federal government must take action to address the specific shortages of bus drivers and other pupil transportation service providers. Such policies could include: Delay of Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT rule); allowing for third party administration of the skills and knowledge tests; creating an entry level CDL in school transportation; and a one-year exemption to social security earning limitation.