Just when California’s teacher shortage seemed to be easing, it got worse. A seven-year increase in the number of new teacher credentials issued by the state ended last year with a 16% decline, exacerbating the state’s ongoing teacher shortage.
There were 16,491 new teaching credentials issued in California in 2021-22, the most recent fiscal year data available. The previous year, the state bestowed 19,659 such credentials, according to “Teacher Supply in California“, an annual report to the state Legislature compiled by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Three thousand fewer teachers could have a significant impact on California school districts already struggling to fill teaching positions. Without enough credentialed teachers, schools have had to hire teachers on emergency-style permits that don’t require them to complete teacher training.
Elementary schools, which primarily employ teachers with multiple-subject teaching credentials, may feel the shortage the most. There were 25% fewer new multiple-subject credentials issued in 2021-22 than in the previous year. New special education credentials declined by 12%, and new single-subject credentials, mostly issued to secondary school teachers, went down 7%.
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