Today, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released its biennial Educator Workforce Report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the educator workforce in the District of Columbia. As DC’s state education agency, OSSE provides training and support for educators citywide.

The report includes information about educator demographics, educator quality, and workforce dynamics across DC public and public charter schools during the most recent three school years (2021-2024).

“This report is meant to empower DC's education community with data-driven insights about the state of the education workforce that is so vital for shaping our students’ futures,” said Interim State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell. “We share this educator data with the public, policymakers, schools and education advocates so we can work together on the policies and practices that continue to attract, develop, and retain effective educators across our great city.”

Key findings from the 2023-24 Educator Workforce Report include:

• Teacher diversity supports student progress; DC continues to have one of the most diverse educator workforces in the nation. DC schools attract teachers of color at rates significantly higher than the national average: 21 percent of educators nationwide compared to 74 percent of teachers in DC are teachers of color. DC also employed a sizable plurality (around 45 percent) of Black or African American women in school leader roles over the observed school years, with Black or African American men having the second highest percentage (around 20 percent).
• Teacher turnover affects student progress; DC has consistently retained teachers at rates of 80 percent or higher -- with the retention rate increasing between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. Also, over the past three school years, teachers who received ratings of "effective" or higher (according to their LEA’s evaluation system) were retained at higher rates in their same schools compared to those with ineffective ratings.
• Teacher shortages impact the range and quality of material that can be taught to students. DC teacher vacancy rates have decreased, while the number of teachers in the city has increased. This indicates an improved ability to fill teaching positions. LEAs reported a six percent vacancy rate in the 2021-22 school year compared to a four percent vacancy rate in the subsequent 2023-24 school year – an increase of roughly 200 teachers hired.
• Many teachers come into the profession through Education Preparation Programs (EPPs). Teachers who complete a state-approved EPPs program produce do so in a wide range of subject areas and teaching levels, with the most significant numbers in elementary, early childhood, social studies, math, and science. The largest share of these educators accepted elementary education roles in DC, and there is an opportunity for LEAs and DC-based preparation programs to collaborate in order to increase the number of first-year teachers matriculating from C EPPs into DC schools-- with a specific focus on filling the highest-demand subject areas, including Special Education roles. Investments in innovative teacher preparation models, such as the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching, can be leveraged to create accessible and affordable pathways to the teaching profession for DC students and prospective teachers who are already working in DC schools.
• Career advancement and development is important in the profession. Most teachers who changed their school-based roles moved into instructional coordinator and supervisor positions at the highest rate. DC’s continued investments in opportunities to prepare, develop, and retain diverse and effective school leaders helps to sustain the diversity of DC’s educator workforce within schools.
• Access to effective educators and experienced, teachers working in their field of training and experience varies depending on school demographics. While teacher mobility data show that teachers who changed schools transferred in and out of schools with economically disadvantaged students at similar rates, there remain disparities regarding teacher quality indicators for these students with respect to teacher effectiveness, years of experience, and in-field status. There is an opportunity for DC schools and programs educating students to evaluate staffing trends across schools – using tools such as the OSSE Educator Talent and Equity Dashboard - to increase the equitable recruitment, development, and retention of quality teachers for all students.

The Educator Workforce Report is an important resource for educators, schools, LEAs, advocates, and community members to develop data-driven strategies that enhance student outcomes. In addition to the report, OSSE has published Educator Workforce Flat Files to enhance data analysis. Together, OSSE and DC local education agencies are building effective and supportive systems to ensure every student in DC has equitable access to effective teachers.

OSSE has made key investments in initiatives to build the educator workforce in response to citywide trends. In the spring of 2024, OSSE launched the first citywide apprenticeship in teaching program to provide a cost-free pathway for current paraprofessionals to enter the teaching profession. Apprentices will engage in on-the-job learning during the day while taking bachelor’s degree-granting coursework through the University of the District of Columbia in the evenings. Upon completing the program, apprentices will be eligible for an OSSE standard teaching credential in elementary, early childhood, or special education. On Aug. 14, 2024, OSSE officially welcomed the first cohort of 48 apprentices into this program during its inaugural Signing Day event. For more information on this program, visit OSSE’s Apprenticeship in Teaching webpage.

OSSE is also proud to provide a suite of professional development opportunities for current DC teachers to enhance effectiveness, all of which are available on the Learning Management System, in addition to routinely convening educators across the city at events such as the annual Multilingual Learning Institute, Spring Literacy Conference and more.

Visit OSSE's website to read the 2023-24 Educator Workforce Report.

To learn more about OSSE investments in training programs for educators and other learning initiatives, visit the OSSE Teaching and Learning Professional Learning Opportunities webpage.