Nebraska sees positive trends in teacher recruitment and retention

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) has released the 2024-25 Teacher Vacancy Survey Report, indicating positive trends in teacher recruitment and retention across the state. The survey, which had a 97.33% response rate from public districts and Educational Service Units (ESUs), showed that over half of Nebraska's districts successfully filled all teaching positions with fully qualified personnel at the start of the school year.

Despite ongoing national teacher shortages, Nebraska schools are making progress in addressing these challenges. The report highlights several key areas of improvement, including special education staffing. More than 99 previously unfilled special education positions have been filled, leaving fewer than 51 vacancies statewide.

Smaller districts with fewer than 500 students also demonstrated resilience in recruiting qualified educators, accounting for just 25% of all unfilled positions statewide. This commitment ensures access to quality education for all students.

The survey identified persistent shortages in areas such as Special Education, Elementary Education, Career Education Areas, Mathematics, and Speech-Language Pathology. These consistent findings allow Nebraska to effectively target resources through initiatives like loan forgiveness programs under the Nebraska Excellence in Teaching Act and federal shortage area designations.

While acknowledging these successes, NDE emphasizes that further work is needed. The department is committed to supporting districts through innovative recruitment strategies and partnerships with higher education institutions. Additionally, efforts are being made to reduce barriers and create alternative pathways to certification.

David Jespersen, Public Information Officer for NDE, said that this report not only highlights challenges but also showcases the dedication of schools to provide high-quality education to every student.

The Teacher Vacancy Survey is conducted annually by NDE to assess teacher shortages across Nebraska’s PK-12 public school districts, ESUs, and nonpublic school systems. For more information or to access the full report, visit the Nebraska Department of Education website at education.ne.gov.

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