REPORT: Pennsylvania Still Facing a Severe Teacher Shortage as Schools Welcome Back Students

REPORT: PA Teacher Shortage By County

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2025

CONTACT: Mark Nicastre, mark@fitlerstrategies.com 

 

Harrisburg, PA - Pennsylvania is still facing a critical shortage of teachers throughout the Commonwealth as students begin a new school year. Earlier this year, #PANeedsTeachers released county fact sheets measuring the severity of the teacher shortage crisis in Pennsylvania. The reports measure the overall Severity of Shortage, Teacher Supply, Teacher Qualifications, Teacher Diversity, and Teacher Attrition in each county. The teacher shortage severity score ranges from Extremely Severe, Severe, Moderate, and Mild. The teacher shortage in several counties, including Philadelphia, Dauphin, and Lehigh, is rated Extremely Severe. Pennsylvania's teacher shortage remains at crisis levels as students begin a new school year. 

 

"In the next few weeks, thousands of students will be walking into schools and classrooms without enough well-qualified teachers," said Laura Boyce, Pennsylvania Executive Director of Teach Plus and a leader with #PANeedsTeachers. "We need to keep working to rebuild the teacher pipeline by fully funding the student teacher stipend program. It is already helping to get more aspiring teachers ready for their careers and into the classroom. We need to make sure that every student teacher can get the stipend. Pennsylvania cannot afford another year of students starting school without enough well-qualified teachers to lead their classrooms.”

 

Research is clear that a highly qualified, adequately staffed, and diverse teacher workforce is essential for any thriving educational system, workforce, and economy.

 

In the past decade, the number of certified teachers produced by Pennsylvania's education programs has fallen by 75%, and teacher turnover is at an all-time high. The state now issues more emergency certificates, granted to underprepared teachers when schools cannot find qualified teachers, than regular teaching certificates to fully qualified teachers.