Trends in Enrollment in US Teacher Preparation Programs: 2009-2021

There have been numerous reports on the dramatic decline in teacher preparation program enrollment as well as the number of completers from teacher preparation programs. For example, Education Week reported the findings from an American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) study that concluded, “Between the 2008-09 and the 2018-19 academic years, the number of people completing a teacher-education program declined by almost a third.” The Education Week article also reported that AACTE surveys of teacher preparation programs suggested a further decline in enrollment in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

This report includes the most recently available data and examines the trends in US teacher preparation program enrollment as reported by the United States Department of Education (USDoE) on the Title II website. Once the proper measures are taken to correct for how USDoE reported enrollments since 2018-19, I find a slight increase in total enrollment from 2018-19 to 2019-20 and then a slight decrease in total enrollment from 2020-21.