A staffing shortage is leaving school districts understaffed or in a bind.
There is reduced funding in many states since the last recession and the virus has made the problem worse. Education leaders in states like Arizona, Kansas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Texas are all bracing for even more drastic shortages.
The pandemic led many teachers to retire or work remotely because of health protocols. Even before the pandemic, there was a projected teacher shortfall of 316,000 teachers annually by 2025.
The teacher shortage is more acute in high poverty schools and magnified in subjects like special education, science, and math.
Photos by Getty Images