The Case for More Gen Z Teachers
Schools across the country are struggling to find enough teachers, with at least 411,000 teaching positions currently open nationwide. At the same time, more than 40% of recent graduates are underemployed. That means millions of young people have earned college degrees only to find themselves stuck in jobs that offer low pay, little security, and no clear path forward.
These are not separate challenges, and taken together, they point to a solution hiding in plain sight. Teaching can be the entry point into the workforce that Gen Z graduates need.
Republicans and Democrats agree on astonishingly little these days, even in the world of education reform, which was once a bright spot for bipartisan collaboration. But they can find common ground around two basic points: students and families deserve great teachers, and recent college graduates need new career options to get a real foothold in the labor market.
Don’t believe us? Check our byline again, and you’ll see a former Republican governor and a former Democratic secretary of education. We are writing this together because we believe that a national call to service in education is not a partisan idea.
Teacher shortages are already impacting classrooms nationwide. And schools in rural districts and lower-income communities are particularly struggling to fill vacancies. Research shows that persistent vacancies and reliance on substitute teachers undermine student learning and achievement. For students who overcome these challenges and make it to college, another problem awaits. Just half of all college graduates secure roles that require a degree. For those college graduates struggling to secure a college-level job, teaching can help them climb the career ladder as well.
To be sure, teaching salaries could be higher. The average starting salary for the class of 2024 was $65,677 and the average entry-level teaching salary is $46,526. Yet, teaching still has so much to offer college graduates. Entry-level teaching salaries exceed $50,000 in 13 states. Plus, these jobs typically include generous health care coverage and retirement benefits and can promise long-term career security.
Importantly, teaching aligns with what Gen Z workers say they want from a job. Three-quarters of Gen Z workers rank purpose above a paycheck. Indeed, surveys show that today’s graduates value job security, purpose, and the chance to contribute to their communities. Teaching offers all three. Yet the message many young people hear is the opposite. They are told that teaching is low-status, financially risky, and only worth pursuing as a lifelong sacrifice.
That message is reinforced by outdated systems that make it harder than necessary to enter the profession. Aspiring teachers are often required to complete costly master’s degrees and unpaid student-teaching placements before earning a full paycheck.
With student loan rules changing and funding for graduate programs tightening, the old “pay first, earn later” model is breaking down. States should see this moment not as a crisis but as an opportunity to build something better. There’s precedent for this kind of collective reset. When the country faced a similar crisis in science and technology, leaders from both parties worked with states, philanthropy, and industry to change incentives and expand access. The result was a surge in STEM participation and talent. The teaching profession now needs that same level of focus.
Education leaders and policymakers can start by being far more direct about the economics of the profession. Compared with the gig economy or retail and service work that many graduates settle for, teaching can offer strong starting pay, benefits, and stability. Teaching can be a fulfilling long-term career, but it should also be presented as a strong place to start one. Not every new educator needs to stay for 30 years to make a contribution. A two- to five-year commitment—something akin to a residency—could be life-changing for the students they impact and formative for future leaders in any field.
Making that vision a reality, however, requires clear, paid pathways into the classroom that begin well before college. High schools can offer paid internships that lead to pre-apprenticeships and registered teacher apprenticeships tied to state certification. And student teaching should no longer mean working for free. In Tennessee and West Virginia, for example, states are piloting registered teacher apprenticeships that allow aspiring educators to earn a salary while completing classroom-based training and working toward licensure.
Meanwhile, in Texas and Indiana, leaders have invested in high school-to-teacher pathways, including early college and early career models that allow students to earn credentials while gaining classroom experience. Large districts such as Houston have used paid teacher residencies to diversify their talent pipeline and improve retention in high-need schools. The funding for such programs is often more practical than many might assume. Apprenticeship dollars are largely administered at the state level, allowing governors and workforce agencies to prioritize teaching alongside other high-need fields. Philanthropic partners can help states pilot and refine these models before scaling them statewide.
Federal support can follow once states have demonstrated what works. State leaders should designate teaching as a priority apprenticeship field, fund pilots that pay student teachers, and partner with districts and institutions to build more seamless pipelines into the profession.
In many ways, the pieces for solving this puzzle are already on the table. Gen Z is looking for direction, purpose, and security. States are searching for workforce solutions that keep talent local. Schools urgently need teachers. The question, then, is whether we are willing to put those pieces together. For Republicans and Democrats alike, the response should be simple: let’s get to work.