Kansas is experiencing one of the most sustained teacher shortages in the country, and the classrooms most affected are those serving students who need the most support. From early childhood programs to special education classrooms, qualified educators are in short supply across the state, and state and national data make clear that the gap is not closing on its own.
For educators who are ready to deepen their skills or add a licensure endorsement to their credentials, that shortage translates directly into employment opportunity, career security, and the chance to do work that matters. Emporia State University’s online education programs are built to close exactly this gap, providing flexible, CAEP-accredited pathways to licensure and master’s degrees in the areas Kansas schools need most.
How Serious Is the Kansas Teacher Shortage?
According to the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), every state reported teacher shortages in 2024-25, with special education topping the list, flagged by 45 states, followed by science and math. Nationally, roughly 1 in 8 teaching positions goes unfilled or is staffed by a teacher not fully certified for their assignment, a rate that has persisted and even grown slightly year over year.
A 2025 report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights identified Kansas as one of six case study states for its teacher supply challenges and documented a statewide teacher attrition rate of 15.1% as of the 2020-21 school year. That figure means roughly one in seven teachers left the profession or their district in a single year, a rate of departure that no pipeline can easily absorb. The report also found that 16.9% of Kansas students are served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as of the 2023-2024 school year, yet only 80% or so of special education teachers in Kansas hold full certification. The demand for credentialed educators is real and documented; what the state needs is more qualified people to meet it.
What Counts as a Teacher Vacancy in Kansas?
Kansas defines a teacher vacancy as any position approved by a school board for the current academic year that remains unfilled or is staffed by an unendorsed teacher. The definition is broader than many people assume; it includes positions occupied by long-term substitutes and teachers working outside their licensed area. A classroom may technically have an adult present, but if that adult doesn’t hold the right endorsement, the district still carries a vacancy, and the students in that room may not be receiving the instruction they are entitled to by law.
For prospective educators, this definition matters because it reveals where demand lives. Districts are not just looking to fill empty chairs; they are looking to replace unendorsed placeholders with teachers who hold the specific credentials their students need. That distinction creates a durable, structural demand for educators with targeted preparation, such as what Emporia State’s online programs provide.
Where the Shortages Run Deepest
Not all shortage areas carry equal weight, and understanding where the gaps are most acute helps educators make informed decisions about which credentials to pursue. Based on LPI’s national data, three areas stand out as the most consistently underserved in Kansas.
Special education with high-incidence disabilities, covering students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder at the higher-functioning end, and behavioral challenges, is one of the most persistently understaffed areas in the state. These students are in almost every school building, and the teachers who work with them require specific endorsements that long-term substitutes cannot provide. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights noted that the consequences of understaffing in this area extend beyond individual classrooms, affecting districts’ ability to meet IDEA compliance requirements and exposing them to legal and funding risk.
Early childhood education, particularly the birth-through-grade-3 continuum, represents a second area of acute need. According to the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment’s 2024 Early Childhood Workforce Index, Kansas was rated “Stalled” on both compensation standards and public funding for early childhood education, conditions that fuel chronic turnover and make it difficult for programs to attract and retain the credentialed specialists that children in this age range need.
Gifted and talented education is a third shortage area that receives less public attention but is equally real in terms of vacancy rates and district need. Many Kansas districts have gifted programs with limited access to teachers who hold the specialized training to serve those students well, and gifted education endorsements are among the most difficult positions for Kansas districts to fill.
What the Shortage Means for Educators Entering the Field
For current and aspiring educators, the Kansas teacher shortage is not just a policy problem; it is an employment landscape. States and districts facing documented shortages actively compete for credentialed candidates, and Kansas is no exception. In a job market where LPI’s data shows 12.5% positions going unfilled or staffed by an unqualified candidate, educators who hold endorsements in those high-need areas are entering a field where openings consistently outnumber qualified applicants, a structural advantage that distinguishes shortage-area credentials from general education licensure.
The structural factors that created the shortage are not resolving quickly. High attrition rates, an aging teacher workforce, and ongoing enrollment declines in teacher preparation programs across more than half of states, documented by LPI, mean that the demand for credentialed educators will likely remain elevated for the foreseeable future. Educators who complete preparation programs in shortage areas are not simply entering a field with current openings; they are entering a field where demand is structurally embedded and unlikely to disappear.
Emporia State Online Programs Aligned With Kansas’s Highest-Need Areas
Emporia State University’s online education programs are directly aligned with the shortage areas where Kansas districts need the most help. All programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), 100% online, and designed to be completed while working, making them accessible to current teachers looking to add an endorsement and career-changers pursuing initial licensure. The table below shows Emporia State’s primary program offerings and the shortage area each one addresses.
| Emporia State Program | Duration | Shortage Area |
| MS in Special Education – High Incidence | As few as 12 months | Learning disabilities, ADHD, ASD (high-functioning), EBD |
| MS in Special Education – Gifted, Talented, and Creative | As few as 12 months | Gifted and talented learners, advanced curriculum |
| MS in Early Childhood Unified (Birth-Grade 3) | As few as 12 months | Early childhood, developmental needs, birth-Grade 3 |
| High Incidence Licensure | As few as 6 months | High-incidence disabilities, K-12 |
| Gifted, Talented, and Creative Licensure | As few as 6 months | Gifted education endorsement, K-12 |
Educators who already hold a Kansas teaching license and want to add a shortage-area endorsement can complete the licensure-only tracks in as few as six months. The master’s degree options combine the endorsement with graduate-level coursework, making them the right choice for educators who want to advance professionally while adding a credential that is immediately marketable in Kansas.
Why Emporia State Is the Right Place to Build That Credential
Emporia State’s online programs are built around the reality of working adults; they are asynchronous, priced per course, and structured so that Kansas teachers can complete them without stepping away from their classrooms. The Teachers College holds CAEP accreditation, which means the programs meet nationally recognized standards for educator preparation and that Kansas districts recognize Emporia State graduates as well-credentialed, practice-ready professionals.
The university’s long-standing presence in Kansas education also means that Emporia State faculty have direct experience with the state’s specific shortage challenges, endorsement pathways, and district hiring patterns. That context shapes how programs are built, what practicum experiences look like, and how graduates are supported through the process. For educators entering a shortage-area field in Kansas, the combination of CAEP accreditation, flexible delivery, competitive tuition, and faculty grounded in Kansas education practice makes Emporia State a well-matched choice.
Turn a Statewide Challenge Into a Career With Lasting Demand
The Kansas teacher shortage is a real and documented problem, but it is also a set of circumstances that creates meaningful opportunity for educators who are prepared for it. The areas where districts are struggling most, such as high-incidence special education, early childhood, and gifted education, are precisely the areas where a targeted credential translates most directly into job security, placement flexibility, and the kind of work that makes a measurable difference in students’ lives.
The data from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and LPI is consistent on this point; the shortage is structural and not resolving quickly, which means educators who complete preparation programs in these areas are entering a market with durable demand. Emporia State’s online programs provide a direct path to those credentials; they are accredited, flexible and designed for educators who want to meet that demand without putting their current career on pause.
Explore Emporia State’s online education programs or speak with a student engagement specialist today to find the pathway that fits your goals and puts you where Kansas schools need you most.
About Emporia State University
Emporia State University is a public university located in Emporia, Kansas. Founded in 1863, Emporia State has more than 150 years of experience preparing educators for classrooms across Kansas and the broader region. The university’s Teachers College is accredited by the CAEP and offers undergraduate and graduate programs across the full range of educator preparation, including advanced endorsement pathways in the high-need areas that Kansas districts most urgently need to fill.
Emporia State’s online programs are designed for working educators who need flexibility without sacrificing preparation quality. With strong district partnerships across the state and an active alumni network in Kansas K-12 schools, Emporia State remains one of the state’s most trusted institutions for educator preparation.
