By Jonathan Eberle |
A new survey from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) indicates that the state’s teacher shortage remains severe, with more than 1,000 teachers leaving classrooms since July and thousands of positions still unfilled or covered by temporary staffing arrangements.
According to the data, 763 teachers resigned or failed to report for duty after July 1, and an additional 292 resigned after the school year began, totaling 1,055 departures. The survey, conducted in late August, received responses from 523 of the state’s 629 public school districts and charter schools—an 83% response rate.
The findings show more than 4,200 teaching positions remain vacant statewide. Of those, nearly 30% are being filled by long-term substitute teachers, about 24% are being covered by current educators giving up preparation or planning time, and roughly 23% rely on temporary staffing agencies. Nearly 1,400 of the openings remain entirely unfilled.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne called the situation “intolerable” and urged state leaders to take action. He pointed to long-standing concerns over teacher pay and what he described as insufficient administrative support on student discipline as key factors driving educators out of the profession.
“Teachers have been underpaid for years, and they have also been discouraged by a lack of administrative support for classroom discipline,” Horne said. He noted that he plans to renew his calls for increased pay and stronger discipline policies during his annual address to lawmakers. He also expressed hope that the upcoming debate over the reauthorization of Proposition 123 will include additional funding for teacher salaries drawn from the state land trust, emphasizing that such an approach would not require a tax increase.
Horne said the results reinforce what many educators have been voicing for years. “This survey is disheartening because the solutions are obvious,” he said. “Better pay and robust support from administrators on discipline are vital.”
Arizona has faced persistent teacher shortages for more than a decade, with advocacy groups and education leaders frequently citing low pay, high turnover, and workforce burnout as major challenges. The new survey suggests those issues remain widespread as the school year continues.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
