Jobs
Mass Teacher Exodus Weighs Down State, Local Jobs Recovery
- Local education payrolls are down 3% since February 2020
- Teacher shortage may have serious ramifications for economy
An empty classroom in New York City.
Photographer: Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Overall, the US job market ended 2022 at a near record for growth but one area in particular underscores how some parts of the economy still lag far behind pre-pandemic levels.
State and city payrolls have only recovered 70% of the jobs lost during the pandemic in December, trailing the broader economic rebound. The slow crawl is largely due to one industry — education — making up more than half of the jobs lost. As K-12 teachers grapple with post-Covid burnout and low pay, there has been a mass exodus of educators, leaving school districts with mounting vacancies to fill.