Despite enacting well-intentioned policies to improve teacher recruitment and retention, many states continue to face significant staffing challenges, particularly in high-need schools and hard-to-staff subjects such as math, science, and special education. Better data systems can help address these persistent challenges.
This brief outlines key findings regarding state teacher data systems and provides recommendations for enhancing them. These improvements should help states allocate resources more effectively and make better policy decisions, ultimately equipping states to better meet the goal of an effective teacher in every classroom.