In recent history, there has been a critical teacher shortage that has been affecting schools all around the country. Specifically, federal data shows that the most frequently reported teaching area shortages are Special Education, Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, and World Language.
Although Hastings ranks among the top 15% of best places to teach in New York as well as among the best school districts in New York, according to Niche, which uses public data and user reviews to evaluate schools and communities, the district still faces the impact. Despite this strong reputation, even Hastings is not safe from this shortage
Before the shortage, Mr. Lopez explained, Hastings might get around 40 to 50 applicants for a language teacher position, which points a stark contrast to recent years, where the same job received only three applicants at one point. This small applicant pool lends itself to competition between different school districts, all who struggle with the same issue, that is, attracting and retaining qualified teachers when there simply aren’t enough. Districts in the area are “scrambling” to hire teachers with such a small application pool. Oftentimes “before we would invite them back for a formal interview before a demo, they were hired already by a neighboring district, ” Mr. Lopez added. “Typically, when you post a job, you always move as fast as possible. Maybe back then you could have had the posting a little bit longer… Now we don’t have that luxury.”
Nevertheless, Mr. Lopez assured that in Hastings, the integrity and criteria for hiring teachers has remained, saying “We always want to find the best, most qualified teacher, and we will always do that…When you have such a small application pool, the best or most qualified teacher is the one that you identify from that small group.” This includes ensuring the applicant is legally certified, inviting them for a demo lesson, and evaluating their teaching philosophy and personality.
Unfortunately, this level of selectivity may not be possible everywhere as many districts across the country are facing even greater effects from the teacher shortage. Typically, states allow schools to hire teachers that are not fully certified only if no properly certified teacher is available. According to a 2025 analysis by the Learning Policy Institute, 411,549 teaching positions were reported to be unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified for their teaching assignments, an increase of about 4,600 from 2024. This is equivalent to 1 in 8 teaching positions nationally.
There is no single cause of this shortage. In the 2020-2021 school year, only 15% of those who voluntarily left teaching jobs stated that their main reason was retirement. The other 85% indicated that it was due to other factors including personal life reasons, pursuing a new job outside teaching K-12, or wanting a higher salary (U.S. Department of Education).
In 2025, the average national teacher salary was $72,030. This was 5% less than the average teacher salary 10 years ago, adjusted for inflation (nea.org). Nevertheless, the average teaching salary for New York was $95,615, second highest in the nation (Merrimack College). Even with these higher salaries, New York continues to experience the effects of the teacher shortage
While Hastings may not be as severely impacted as other schools across the country, this situation raises an urgent question: what will the future of American education look like if teacher shortages continue to leave classrooms without fully certified teachers?
According to a national survey done by Timely Care of more than 500 faculty and staff members at various education institutes, 53% of higher education teachers considered leaving their jobs due to burnout, increased workload, and stress (Timely Care). Additionally, 75% believed more mental health support would improve their job satisfaction. These findings suggest that addressing teacher retention, not just recruitment, may play a key role in solving the shortage.
Mr. Lopez emphasized the need for greater reform in the education system. “One of the major incentives is a more livable wage,” he explained. “You’re not going to attract the best and brightest college students with a salary that is significantly less than several other ones.” Additionally, he noted the importance of manageable class sizes, pointing out that while class sizes at Hastings are relatively small, schools in places like Brooklyn often have classes of 34 students or more.
He also suggested that increasing political influence over education may be discouraging people from entering the profession. He expressed, “Education has become politicized…Certain states, like Texas and Florida, are rewriting curricula and saying what teachers are allowed or not allowed to teach.” For example, he referenced Texas Senate Bill 3 (2021) set requirements and limits on how topics such as race, gender, and systemic oppression are taught in classrooms. The bill states that educators are prohibited from requiring that “with respect to their relationship to American values, slavery and racism are anything other than deviations from…the authentic founding principles of the United States.” He also referenced the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act (2022), which prohibits “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity” in K-8 classrooms. It also states that school districts or open-enrollment charter schools “may not authorize or sponsor a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” (LegiScan). Policies that dictate how teachers address topics like race, gender, and sexuality limit classroom autonomy and may discourage new educators from entering the profession. “Give teachers more autonomy. Trust them more. Mentor them more,” says Mr. Lopez.
Mr. Lopez added how in an effort to find potential candidates for teaching jobs at Hastings, he even reached out to education programs at local universities such as UAlbany, Stony Brooke, NYU, and Manhattanville University. He explained that they replied that there were no recent graduates available from their programs, underscoring a broader decline in interest in going into the teaching profession. This lack of new graduates narrows the hiring pool, making it more difficult for districts like Hastings to fill open positions.
“I’m kind of fearful for the future of education,” says Mr. Lopez. “If we don’t do something about this, at a local, state, and national level, what we’re experiencing now…I think it’s only gonna get worse.”
