Minnesota Index: Teacher supply

Minnesota public school teachers 2014-15

Number of public schools             2,051

Number of full-time equivalent teachers              55,277

Pre-kindergarten and school readiness teachers, including those less than FTE   1,850

Kindergarten teachers   3,364

Elementary teachers (grades 1-6)             24,651

Secondary teachers (grades 7-12)            21,716

Special Education teachers          9,625

Newly licensed and first assignment teachers     2,445

Other    3,695

Previous years

Number of teachers at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year               58,211

Number at the beginning of the 2009-10 school year       56,790

Percent increase over previous five-year period               2.5

Projected percent increase of high school students from 2014-2024         11

Projected percent increase of middle school students    8

Number of teacher preparation institutions in Minnesota             32

Average years of teaching experience statewide              14

Number of teachers who left their position in 2012-13    5,899

Percent of teachers who left the profession that year after one year of teaching              16.4

Percent who left after their second year               22.4

Percent who left after their third year    30.2

Percent who left within five years            32.3

Nationwide

Projected number of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools in 2015           3.1 million

Projected number of teachers in private elementary and secondary schools in 2015        400,000

Percent of schools with at least one teaching vacancy in 2011-12                               68

Percent of teachers who retired in 2012-13          2.6

Average age of teachers who retired in 2012-13 61.5

Sources: United States Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Board of Teaching, U.S. Census Bureau