Teacher Pipeline Shrinks as Education Degree Enrollment Declines
Enrollment in traditional teacher preparation programs is waning, even as choice routes to teh classroom gain traction, according to new data released by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Bachelor’s degrees awarded in education fell 3% from 2021-22 to 2022-23, while master’s degrees experienced a 5% drop over the same period. The shifts signal a potential challenge for school districts already grappling with teacher shortages nationwide.
The decline in traditional program enrollment comes amid a broader trend spanning the last decade. In 2012-13, 611,296 students were enrolled in teacher preparation programs at extensive higher education institutions; by 2022-23, that number had fallen to 407,566. Concurrently, alternative teacher preparation programs – those not based at colleges – have seen significant growth, jumping from 43,099 students in 2012-13 to 124,428 in 2022-23. This shift reflects a changing landscape in teacher certification,but raises questions about the long-term impact on teacher quality and diversity.
Across all program types, 112,913 students completed a teacher preparation program at a comprehensive college or university in 2022-23, down from 163,851 in 2012-13. Alternative programs saw a 9% increase in completions between 2012-13 and 2022-23, with 16,899 graduates, and a 44% increase for those based at colleges.
Despite the overall decline in education degrees, there has been progress in diversifying the field. In 2022-23, 29% of bachelor’s degrees in education were awarded to non-White graduates, up from 23% in 2016-17. The share of master’s degrees going to non-White graduates rose from 28% to 33% during the same period, and doctoral degrees saw an increase from 37% to 42%. these gains in diversity are crucial as the nation’s student population becomes increasingly diverse, but experts caution that sustained efforts are needed to ensure equitable depiction in the teaching workforce.
