CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO TEACHER SHORTAGES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A serious teacher shortage that could jeopardize the standard of education in American schools is the biggest threat to public education in the country. The states of Nevada, Utah, and California are seeing the worst shortages, which highlights a nationwide issue affecting American students. The severity of this problem is highlighted by recent statistics, which projects that by the 2025–2026 academic year, the United States will require almost 200,000 additional public school teachers to cover the shortfalls. Studies indicate that poor quality instruction hinders learning and makes it more difficult for students to graduate from high school prepared for college and the workforce. Several factors have contributed to the exodus of teachers from the profession, which include low pay compared to other professions, inadequate preparation for the teaching profession, a lack of administrative support, and difficult working conditions, particularly in schools that serve a high proportion of low-income families. Schools frequently have to combine classes, hire teachers who are unqualified, or depend on long-term substitutes when there is a teacher shortage. Thus, this paper recommends there is a need to recognize that there are several contributing factors to the teacher shortage, which means that a comprehensive set of long-term solutions is necessary to address it. This recognition shifts our focus away from frameworks of single "magic remedy" solutions, which may seem like an easy quick fix but are insufficient to address the scope of the issue. Furthermore, there is the need to acknowledge that the complexity of the situation necessitates coordinated actions of numerous stakeholders, including schools and school districts, parent-teacher groups, school boards, teachers unions, and states. KEYWORDS: Teacher, Teacher Shortage, United States, Students Achievement