Local teacher shortages improve, except in specialty positions

Des Moines metro schools have mostly recovered from the worst of the pandemic-era teacher shortages , but longstanding problems like filling specialty positions continue to plague Iowa districts.

Why it matters: Schools are struggling to hire teachers in the highly-coveted STEM field, including math, science and mechanics.

• ESL and special education teachers are also in high demand.

Flashback: Over the summer of 2022, more than 500 Des Moines metro school teachers resigned following the height of COVID. Education advocates blamed the exodus on more flexible jobs created in 2020, as well as divisive political tensions like face masks in classrooms.

• Plus, districts faced a wave of retirements in 2020, as older teachers chose not to return during the pandemic.

Zoom in: Des Moines Public Schools entered the 2022 school year with a shortage of more than 50 teachers.

State of play: Today, most districts report only a few open positions, but these are primarily for specialized roles that have historically been challenging to fill.

• Des Moines is hiring for seven positions, and Ankeny is hiring for six.
• West Des Moines and Urbandale are looking for three teachers, while Johnston and Waukee have two openings, according to data provided by local districts.

What they're saying: "We have largely moved past the hiring challenges many districts faced a few years ago and are in great shape for the morning of August 26," DMPS spokesperson Phil Roeder tells Axios. (The state's largest district employs nearly 5,000 teachers.)

Reality check: Districts still face larger recruiting headwinds, including political pressure in the wake of the state's book bans and restrictions on LGBTQ and diversity instruction.

• John Boylan, an Iowa City English teacher told Iowa Public Radio they have left some teachers feeling anxious and vilified.

Plus: Math and science teaching roles are notoriously tough to fill because schools compete with more lucrative career opportunities, Mark McDermott, associate dean of the University of Iowa's College of Education, tells Axios.

• In recent years though, other subjects like language arts and music have also faced teacher shortages, according to the state's 2024-25 shortage report .

Alternative paths to licensure can help address the shortages, especially as fewer traditional college students enter the education field, McDermott says.

• Even before the pandemic, fewer college students were entering the education field.
• Between 2007-17, Iowa saw a drop of 11% of people exiting prep programs, despite an increasing need for teachers, Margaret Buckton of the Urban Education Network told IPR.

What we're watching: Iowa's colleges are offering new programs to try to make licensure easier.

• UNI has a new online program so students can stay in their hometowns, while the state launches a pilot to help paraeducators become teachers .