California issued 17,328 preliminary or clear teaching credentials during the 2023–24 school year. This shows an 18% increase over the previous year, according to the newly released “Teacher Supply in California” report. The rise marks the first increase in newly credentialed teachers since 2020–21, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schools statewide.

The jump of 2,666 credentials offers cautious optimism for a state grappling with a long-standing teacher shortage. Education experts point to the figure as evidence that recent state investments are beginning to pay off, even as significant challenges remain.

“At a time when schools across the nation are facing teacher shortages, the growth in California’s newly credentialed teachers indicates that state investments in teacher recruitment are beginning to pay off,” said Mary Vixie Sandy, executive director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

A Shortage That Still Outpaces Supply

Despite the increase, the number of credentialed teachers is still below demand. Ahead of the 2023–24 academic year, California school districts anticipated needing nearly 25,000 new teachers, exceeding the credential total by over 7,000.

Many schools continue to rely on teachers with emergency-style permits, intern credentials, or waivers to fill classrooms. According to state data, 5% of the state’s teachers were not fully credentialed for the subjects they taught last school year.

Federal and State Funding in Jeopardy

Concerns loom over the stability of funding that supports teacher preparation programs. Marvin Lopez, executive director of the California Center on Teaching Careers, warned that disruptions in federal grant funding and budget cuts at institutions like California State University and the University of California could dampen the recent progress.

Lopez noted a decline in candidates mid-year. The California Center on Teaching Careers program had a full cohort of teacher candidates at the beginning of the school year, but that number has dwindled in the last several months as federal funding became questionable.

Dana Grayson, teacher workforce director at WestEd, highlighted these concerns, saying, “Grant programs are designed to make high-quality preparation more affordable.” She added, “If there are disruptions in access to that funding, I think we might expect that could impact the number of teachers that are able to get those credentials.”

Subject Shortages Still Present Despite Gains

Some of the credential increases were seen in hard-to-staff subject areas. The number of math credentials rose by 15% to 1,247, and science credentials increased by 7%, or 74 teachers. These figures reflect the first bump after four years of declines. In special education, 3,478 education specialist credentials were awarded, up from 3,051 the previous year.

Still, the number of special education credentials remained lower than in most of the last five years, and experts warn that the growth may not be enough to meet the persistent demand in those fields.

Emergency-Style Permits Continue to Climb

While some emergency-style permits and waivers decreased, many others saw significant increases:

  • Intern credentials jumped 28% to 5,687
  • Short-term staff permits rose 17% to 5,833
  • Provisional internship permits increased by 14% to 2,614
  • Teaching permits for statutory leave surged 24.3% to 593

Only limited assignment teaching permits and waivers saw decreases of 11% and 30%, respectively.

“I do think these (credential) numbers represent a promising uptick,” said Grayson. “But I think sustainability planning is going to be important to make sure we can support preparation programs, maintaining that affordability and access toward getting those full credentials,” she added.

Progress With Caution

California has committed $1 billion since 2018 to teacher recruitment and retention, supporting candidates with financial aid and alternative certification pathways. However, with declining enrollment in preparation programs, down from 41,978 in 2019–20 to 38,596 last school year, experts warn that the recent gains could be fleeting without sustained investment.

While the report signals progress, the state’s teacher supply remains under pressure, highlighting the need for continued, stable support to build a credentialed, long-term workforce.