MDE releases Educator Shortage Survey and Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey results

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:  December 18, 2025

MDE releases Educator Shortage Survey and Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey results

JACKSON, Miss. – Today, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) presented results of the 2025-26 Educator Shortage Survey and the 2024-25 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey to the State Board of Education.

Educator Shortage Survey

The Educator Shortage Survey was conducted from Aug. 13 to Nov. 1, 2025, with 100% of Mississippi’s traditional public school districts completing the survey.

Results show there were 6,907 vacancies among teachers, administrators and school support staff across the state as of Nov. 1. Compared to the 2024-25 school year, this is an increase of 1,747 vacancies.

The numbers of vacancies from previous years were 5,503 in 2021-22, 4,988 in 2022-23, 5,012 in 2023-24 and 5,160 in 2024-25. Mississippi teachers received pay raises in school years 2021-22 and 2022-23, and vacancies decreased during that time. College students who were unconditionally admitted to an approved traditional educator preparation program under the licensure testing suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic were not subject to meeting the testing requirement through Dec. 31, 2023, and may have contributed to the fewer vacancies.

Compared to last year, vacancies increased by 851 among teachers and by 56 among other K-12 licensed educators (library/media, counselors and speech language positions). Vacancies increased by 128 among administrators (principals and assistant principals) and by 712 among K-12 support staff such as teacher assistants, nurses, custodians, bus drivers, food service staff and administrative assistants. Among the state’s four Congressional Districts, vacancies increased the most in District Two at 436, while District One had the smallest increase in vacancies at 84.

Based on survey results, the following educator workforce challenges and aligned strategies have been determined as follows:

Teacher Recruitment and Retention for 2024-25 School Year

The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey was conducted from April 23 to June 17, 2025, and 4,010 Mississippi teachers completed the survey for the 2024-25 school year.

The survey offers key findings for strengthening the educator workforce statewide and provides sample data on recruitment, onboarding, support, community involvement, school leadership and compensation among Mississippi teachers.

Key survey findings show teachers are most inspired daily on their jobs by interactions with students, being a positive influence, and their passion for teaching. Since 2023-24, benefits and/or compensation have been increasing factors attributed to teachers leaving the profession. Mississippi ranked 46^th out of 49 states for teacher pay when adjusted for cost of living according to federal data as of May 2024.

MDE’s Office of Teaching and Leading began conducting the Educator Shortage and Teacher Retention surveys during the 2021-22 school year. In 2023-24 in recognition of recruitment factors, the name of the Teacher Recruitment Survey was changed to the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey. Results from each survey have historically been released separately. Today’s presentation marks the first time results were released simultaneously as the MDE strives to elevate teacher-generated strategies for addressing current educator workforce shortages.

To see complete results from both surveys, go to MDE’s Educator Talent Acquisition webpage at mdek12.org/talentacquisition.

Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.

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Jean Cook, APR
Chief of Communication
601-359-3515
jcook@mdek12.org

Shanderia Minor
Public Information Officer
601-359-3515
sminor@mdek12.org