The impact of teacher shortages on teachers remaining in hard to staff schools
Research project
Nurturing teachers amid teacher shortages in Australia.
Description
This project investigates the lived experiences of teachers in a time of unprecedented teacher shortages. While previous studies have examined the causes of teacher shortages, this project is significant in its review of the issues of teacher retention, focusing instead on those teachers who remain. By addressing the problem of retention this way, the expected outcomes of this project include developing a much deeper understanding of how educational systems, as well as individual schools, can support those teachers remaining in the profession. This will provide significant benefits such as informing policy on how to facilitate greater teacher retention at a time when maintaining support for a declining teaching workforce is urgent.
Investigators
Reports
Publications
Lampert, J., McPherson, A., Hawkins, A., Casanueva Baptista, A., & Burnett, B. (2026).
For the foreseeable future: the tenuous and precarious nature of teacher retention. Teachers and Teaching, 1–16.
McPherson, A., Lampert, J., & Hawkins, A. (2026).
Beyond the nine-to-five: gendered experiences of work–life conflict in Australia’s hardest-to-staff schools. Gender and Education, 1–17.
Casanueva Baptista, A., McPherson, A., & Lampert, J. (2025).
‘Maybe I’m just not strong enough’: on the care exploitation of teachers in hard-to-staff schools. Critical Studies in Education, 1–17.
Lampert, J., McPherson, A., & Casanueva Baptista, A. (2025).
Not the job I imagined: teachers’ expectations of their work in the context of teaching shortages. Teachers and Teaching, 1–17.
Lampert, J., McPherson, A., Casanueva Baptista, A., & Hawkins, A. (2025).
The Hidden Work of Incidental Mentoring in the Hardest-to-Staff Schools. Education Sciences, 15(7), 809.
McPherson, A., Lampert, J. & Baptista, A.C.
Teachers who stay in hard-to-staff schools: School responses to the teacher shortage crisis. Aust. Educ. Res. 52, 2163–2182 (2025).
McPherson, A., Lampert, J. & Burnett, B. (2024).
A summary of initiatives to address teacher shortages in hard-to-staff schools in the Anglosphere. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education.
McPherson, A., & Lampert, J. (2025).
An analysis of Australian teacher workforce policy: Challenges and opportunities for teacher recruitment and retention. Policy Futures in Education, 23(2), 446-463.
Lampert, J., McPherson, A. & Burnett, B. (2024).
Still standing: an ecological perspective on teachers remaining in hard-to-staff schools. Teachers and Teaching, 30(1), 116-130.
Media Participation
2026
Lampert, J., McPherson, A., Hawkins, A., Casanueva Baptista, A. & Burnett, B. (2026).
‘The Hidden Work of Incidental Mentoring’, EduResearch Matters. 12 December. We're in it together- the hidden work of incidental mentoring - EduResearch Matters
2025
Lampert, J. in Harvey, A. (2025).
‘Thousands of special permits issued to fill nationwide teacher shortage’ ABC News. 4 December. Thousands of special permits issued to fill nationwide teacher shortage - ABC News
Lampert, J. in Duggan, S. (2025).
‘Teachers say their ‘vocational calling’ has been lost: research’ EducationHQ. 10 October. Teachers say their ‘vocational calling’ has been lost: research — EducationHQ
Lampert, J. in Clark,P. (2025).
‘How do we stop teachers leaving the profession in droves?’ [Radio] Nightlife, ABC Radio Sydney. 23 June. How do we stop teachers leaving the profession in droves? - ABC listen
McPherson, A. in Duggan, S. (2025).
‘Teachers are lesson planning from hospital beds: study reveals full toll of supply crisis’ EducationHQ. 28 February. Teachers are lesson planning from hospital beds: study reveals full toll of supply crisis — EducationHQ
McPherson, A. in Hind, R. (2025).
‘‘The Impacts of Teacher Shortages’ [Radio] Mornings, ABC Darwin. 20 January. Mornings - ABC listen
McPherson, A. in Education Daily. (2025).
‘Ongoing teacher shortage will see many schools struggle in 2025’ Education Daily. January 17. Ongoing teacher shortage will see many schools struggle in 2025 - EducationDaily
2024
Lampert, J. & Hawkins, A. in Park, A. (2024).
‘Why are teachers leaving the profession in droves?’ [Radio] RN Drive, ABC. 30 January. Why are teachers leaving the profession in droves? - ABC listen
Lampert, J. in Selwyn, N. (2024).
‘Teacher recruitment and the problem of ‘hard-to-staff’ schools’ [Podcast], Meet the Education Researcher with Neil Selwyn (podcast). Teacher recruitment and the problem of ‘hard-to-staff’ schools (Jo Lampert) by Meet The Education Researcher
Lampert, J. in Borg, R. (2024).
‘’Constantly Slammed’: Teachers fed up with disrespect’, Herald Sun. 02 May.
2023
Lampert, J., McPherson, A. & Burnett, B. (2023).
‘Teacher shortages: Is teaching family-friendly now?’, EduResearch Matters. 1 May. Teacher shortages: Is teaching family-friendly now? - EduResearch Matters
Who to contact about this project?
Professor Jo Lampert
Jo.Lampert@monash.edu