ERIC Number: ED676126
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Oct
Pages: 28
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
New Jersey's Teacher Workforce: 2025 Legislative Report
Daniel Douglas; Ann Obadan; Stephanie Walsh
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development
Teachers face many challenges throughout their careers, including initial difficulties in obtaining the necessary credentials, securing employment, and high turnover rates. This report focuses on exploring these challenges by addressing the requirements outlined in Chapter 394 of Public Law 2021 (P.L. 2021, c.394). Heldrich Center researchers conducted descriptive analyses to provide an overview of trends and projections in New Jersey's teacher workforce using data extracts for the 2013-14 to 2023-24 school years. The primary data sources used are New Jersey Department of Education's New Jersey Standards Measurement and Resource for Teaching (NJ SMART) data system and other data contained in the New Jersey Statewide Database System (NJSDS). Additional analyses presented in this report were informed by stakeholder feedback. Researchers first analyzed the current teacher workforce landscape by various subgroups over time, such as race, sex, age, and subject area. They also assessed the trends in, and reasons for, teacher exits (determined by teachers who have an exit date and reason for leaving teaching in the data) by subgroup, including race/ethnicity and job categories. A case study on employment held by teachers outside of the education sector is also presented. Some key findings include: (1) the number of teachers (FTEs) in the state remained stable at about 118,000 FTEs, with math and science teachers decreasing by around 9% and computer science decreasing 3%; (2) the sex and race/ethnic composition of New Jersey's teacher workforce changed little over time; (3) the number of teachers exiting their roles remained relatively consistent over time; and (4) about 16%-18% of teachers work supplemental employment outside of the education industry in New Jersey and earn around 6% less than their peers who do not engage in supplemental work.
Descriptors: Labor Force, Teacher Supply and Demand, Teacher Characteristics, Teacher Persistence, Labor Turnover, Employment Level, Elementary Secondary Education
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Rutgers University, 30 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Tel: 732-932-4100; Fax: 732-932-3454; e-mail: hcwd@rci.rutgers.edu; Web site: https://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A


