Teacher Shortages are Not Myths but Misinformed: A Review

Marissa R. Bamberger, Northern Illinois UniversityFollow
Benjamin Creed, Northern Illinois UniversityFollow

Keywords

teacher shortage myth, teacher shortage overblown, teacher staffing challenge, media, literature review

Abstract

Background

The United States has faced teacher shortages for decades with the consequence being under-qualified individuals hired as teachers who negatively impact the education of many students, especially those students who are most disadvantaged. Recently, the media has increasingly covered teacher shortages with claims that the teacher shortage is overblown or a myth.

Purpose

Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to examine the academic and popular media articles published on this supposed teacher shortage myth to determine (1) the conditions that contribute to the endorsement of a teacher shortage myth and (2) the faulty arguments that support the teacher shortage myth.

Method

We reviewed academic research articles describing research on the teacher shortage myth conducted within the United States as well as popular media articles published on this topic. Articles included in this review were published from 2010 through 2024.

Findings

From our review of the literature, we identified four conditions that contribute to the endorsement of a teacher shortage myth: (1) different definitions of the term “teacher shortage,” (2) insufficient data and data infrastructures, (3) disagreements among academics, and (4) no generic, national teacher shortage. We also identified six faulty arguments in support of the teacher shortage myth: (1) people do not want to teach under the current conditions, (2) there is an exodus of teachers, (3) there is a teacher distribution problem, (4) anyone can teach, (5) cyclical shortages will resolve themselves, and (6) schools have added teachers after COVID-19.

Conclusion

Our review of the conditions and faulty arguments that contribute to the endorsement of the teacher shortage myth suggests that this belief is an oversimplification of the complex and unique teacher staffing challenges that schools in the United States face. Recommendations for addressing the teacher shortage myth are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Bamberger, Marissa R. and Creed, Benjamin (2026) "Teacher Shortages are Not Myths but Misinformed: A Review," Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 38: Iss. 1, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol38/iss1/5