Ambitious and Sustainable Post-pandemic Workplace Design for Teachers: A Portrait of the Arizona Teacher Workforce

Abstract

The professional lives of teachers are in an incredible upheaval as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has potential implications for the teaching profession and the workforce. The ambiguity of what schools will look like in the future and growing disparities of children have teachers concerned that their jobs are more untenable than ever before. In this chapter, we examine the teaching workforce year into the pandemic. We focus specifically on Arizona and explore whether teachers stayed in the profession or exited during this time of uncertainty. Our analysis suggests that, to date, the pandemic has not had a significant impact on an already dire labor market in Arizona-classroom vacancies and teaching positions filled by under-qualified individuals were no higher in January 2021 than in January 2020. We conclude by arguing that, while focusing teacher recruitment may seem like a viable solution, it alone is insufficient. Rather, in a post-pandemic world, we must build new structures that increase teacher coordination and collaboration that leverage the expertise of all educators, ultimately leading to better working and workplace conditions. This critical examination begins to shed light on teaching, learning, and the preparation for both as we move to a post-pandemic future.