Renewals for educator credentials remain high

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire continues to buck national trends as it relates to teacher shortages. 

As of this week, the New Hampshire Department of Education has renewed 8,154 educator credentials in 2023, which is the third-highest number of annual renewals in the past decade. In 2022, a record number of 8,928 educator credentials were renewed. 

“Although there are reports of teacher shortages throughout the country, New Hampshire is showing favorable trends with the largest three-year cohort of educator renewals in the past 12 years,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. “We understand there are still some challenges in filling certain teaching positions, in particular special education and paraprofessionals, but this new data is both promising and beneficial in preemptively combating the teacher shortage crisis seen elsewhere.” 

The most recent three-year cohort has processed 25,622 renewals from 2021-2023, compared to 23,910 renewals from 2018-2020, 24,573 renewals from 2015-2017 and 25,044 renewals from 2012-2014. 

Aside from an increase in educator renewals, the state’s Critical Shortage List has improved significantly in the past five years. The Critical Shortage List, which is an analysis of the teacher supply and demand in New Hampshire, was recently updated based on input from school leaders across the state. There are currently 21 out of 54 endorsements that have been identified as critical staffing shortage areas in the state, which does not include paraprofessionals or substitute teachers – a substantial improvement from the 50 identified endorsements on the critical shortage list in 2019.

“We know that there are still pockets of teacher shortages – especially in rural areas of New Hampshire and for select credentials such as special education and STEM fields. However, at least throughout the past three years, there has been noteworthy progress as our numbers and surveys show,” said Stephen Appleby, director of NHED’s Division of Educator Support and Higher Education.