Need to fill teacher vacancies? You’re not alone. Learn about the universal challenge of teacher shortages. Whether you need to fill short- or long-term vacancies, follow these suggestions on how to quickly fill positions with highly qualified candidates so your school can continue to offer exceptional learning experiences for students.

Teacher Shortages are a National Challenge

Based on data collected at the University of Kansas, teacher vacancies continue to rise in the United States with 55,000 vacant teaching positions reported in 2024. Vacancies aren’t the only challenge; about 270,000 positions are filled but with underqualified teachers. Nationally this amounts to 9-10% of teachers in the United States. In these instances, teachers may not have earned a standard license, have only emergency certification, or teach out of subject expertise. This number has increased from the more than 36,500 teacher vacancies in the United States and 163,500 positions filled by underqualified teachers reported in 2023 by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Teacher vacancies mean that many schools must cancel a course, hire substitutes, or compromise on teacher quality due to a shortage of qualified teachers.

There are many reasons for national teacher shortages. Some specialized subject areas, like STEM or advanced courses, may have more vacancies available. Geographic disparities can exacerbate the problem of underqualified teachers or staffing shortages. The availability of teacher preparation programs and certification requirements can impact candidates’ ability to receive proper training for available opportunities or advancement.

Teachers can struggle with the workload and demands of teaching, leading to burnout or turnover. And schools and districts often face budget constraints that limit competitive salary offers, professional development, and benefits for existing teachers or new qualified teacher candidates.

Teacher Vacancies and Catholic Schools

Public school teachers are usually more highly compensated than their private school counterparts, meaning more competition for Catholic schools looking to fill teacher vacancies. Plus, Catholic schools benefit from hiring teachers who have had faith formation or are trained for the Catholic school classroom resulting in an even smaller pool.

Catholic high schools play an essential role in preparing students for the future by providing them with the spiritual and academic foundation they need to succeed and become faith-based, contributing members of society. Finding and retaining qualified teachers to help carry out this mission, with the added challenge of teacher vacancy, is increasingly difficult.

Strategies for Filling Teacher Vacancies in your Catholic School

With the right strategy, and a little creativity, you can find and retain qualified teachers for your Catholic school. It’s important to think strategically about what else motivates someone to work at a Catholic school and to use recruitment and retention strategies that take these motivations into consideration.

Tips for Recruiting and Retaining Catholic School Teachers

Recruitment and retention are complementary efforts. If you recruit teachers who are a good fit for your Catholic high school, you are more likely to retain them for the long term. Conversely, if you work hard to retain your teachers by offering programs and perks that address their wants, needs, and pain points, recruitment will be a lot easier.

An essential tip for reaching qualified educators is search and recruit within the community of Catholic school believers: Catholic school alumni, parishioners, and other members of the Catholic community. Then, retain your teachers by offering programs and perks that address their wants, needs, and pain points.

Teacher Recruitment and Retention Tip Sheet

Do you want to recruit and retain your Catholic school teachers? Follow these eight tips to make sure you are accessing the best candidates/keeping your qualified teachers happy for the long term.