This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: As school districts continue searching for ways to recruit and retain teachers, new research from UNC-Chapel Hill suggests one promising pipeline may already be in classrooms: teaching assistants. A new statewide study from the Education Policy Initiative at Carolina (EPIC) found that nearly 1 in 5 beginning teachers in North Carolina previously worked as teaching assistants.
Researchers also found that these former TAs perform just as well as other early-career teachers—and are significantly more likely to remain in the profession through their second and third years. The findings also suggest the TA-to-teacher pipeline could help address other workforce needs. Former TAs are more likely to be teachers of color and to hold special education licenses, strengthening areas where many districts face persistent shortages.
Bastian et al, Pathways and Outcomes for Early-Career Teachers With Teaching Assistant Experience, Educational Policy (2026). DOI: 10.1177/08959048261461454 Provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.
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