As teacher shortages persist, a growing number of states and districts are considering policies to improve work-life balance for educators, including introducing paid pregnancy disability leave and parental leave. Despite the urgent need, the National Council on Teacher Quality’s 2022 review of 148 school districts revealed that a vast majority do not offer any form of paid parental leave, instead relying on accrued sick days for such absences. Only 18% of these districts provided paid parental leave, primarily to birthing parents, with even fewer extending this benefit to fathers or nonbirthing parents.
The availability and specifics of paid leave vary widely across districts and states, highlighting the need for a more standardized approach to support teachers wanting to start families while continuing their careers. In response to this issue, California has introduced a bill aimed at addressing the teacher staffing crisis by offering paid leave to educators, a move supported by Democrats and expected to be discussed in committee soon. This initiative comes after Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal in 2019 due to its high projected costs, suggesting instead that such matters be handled through local collective bargaining or within the state budget.
Delaware has already implemented paid parental leave for state employees, including teachers, in 2021, which has been well received and considered a significant benefit to the state workforce. This move towards providing paid leave aligns with proposed regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, aimed at accommodating school employees unable to perform essential job functions during pregnancy. Although these regulations were expected to be finalized by the end of 2023, they have yet to be released.
Additionally, proposed Title IX regulations from the U.S. Department of Education are set to protect pregnant workers and students from sex discrimination, ensuring accommodations for medical conditions related to pregnancy. This effort is particularly relevant considering that over three-quarters of public school teachers are female, according to the latest data from the Education Department for the 2020-21 school year. Together, these developments signify a growing recognition of the need to support educators in balancing their professional and personal lives, potentially contributing to efforts to mitigate teacher shortages by making the profession more attractive and sustainable.
