Interactive: School Staffing Increases for Another Year Despite Looming Fiscal Cliff

As per the most recent data from the National Center on Education Statistics, public schools welcomed 173,000 new students and added 159,000 employees during the 2022-23 academic year, including 15,000 more teachers. 

At present, staffing levels per student have reached record highs.  

The figures provided reflect full-time equivalents (FTEs), which are adjusted based on part-time staff’s work hours. While FTE numbers offer a more accurate measure of total staff time, raw headcount numbers are released sooner, hinting at a potential new high for schools in 2023-24. 

The future beyond that appears uncertain. As school districts deplete their remaining federal ESSER funds, they may face staff layoffs or closure of under-enrolled facilities. To pinpoint communities most vulnerable, I collaborated with Eamonn Fitzmaurice, The 74’s art and technology director, to update our data on changing student-to-teacher ratios nationwide. Click on the map below to view your community’s results.