The impact of teacher shortages on teachers remaining in hard to staff schools

Research project

Nurturing teachers amid teacher shortages in Australia.

Overview
Publications

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

Still Standing: How Teacher Shortages and Turnover Shape the Work of Those Who Stay

This report examines the lived experiences of teachers during unprecedented shortages, focusing on those who remain in hard-to-staff Australian schools and how systems can better support retention.

Report

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