Supporting a strong teacher pipeline through recruitment, development and retention is a top education priority for Iowa.
Each year, states are able to identify and report to the U.S. Department of Education up to 5% of their Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) positions as shortage areas. Data used to calculate shortages are collected from public and nonpublic schools in the Fall Basic Education Data Survey (BEDS).
Because the percent of full-time teaching vacancies across the state was under the 5% federal threshold, Iowa was able to designate all 28 areas with any reported vacancy as a teacher shortage area for the 2025-26 school year, even if the shortage was only one reported position.
Iowaβs total teacher shortage areas have been well under 5 percent the last several years. Nationally, 3 percent of all public school teaching positions were vacant during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
By reporting all possible shortage areas, teachers serving in these identified areas may be eligible for student loan repayment, forgiveness and other incentives available through state and federal programs. More information about these programs is available on the Loan Repayment & Income Bonus Programs webpage.
