- Local education payrolls are down 3% since February 2020
- Teacher shortage may have serious ramifications for economy
Overall, the US job market ended 2022 at a near record for growth but one area in particular underscores how some parts of the economy still lag far behind pre-pandemic levels.
State and city payrolls have only recovered 70% of the jobs lost during the pandemic in December, trailing the broader economic rebound. The slow crawl is largely due to one industry — education — making up more than half of the jobs lost. As K-12 teachers grapple with post-Covid burnout and low pay, there has been a mass exodus of educators, leaving school districts with mounting vacancies to fill.
“Some can’t find enough willing bodies to take the jobs,” Mikhail Foux, head of municipal strategy at Barclays Plc., said. “For this sector, these people are not coming back.”
The Wall Street Journal
By Carrington York
January 12, 2023