Teaching assistants may represent one of the most overlooked solutions to the teacher shortages confronting school districts across the United States. A statewide study from researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that nearly one in five beginning teachers in North Carolina previously worked as teaching assistants, suggesting that schools may already be cultivating a potential teacher workforce inside their own classrooms. The study, led by Kevin Bastian of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Education Policy Initiative at Carolina, also reports that former teaching assistants perform as well as other early-career teachers and are more likely to remain in the profession during their second and third years. The findings point to a recruitment strategy that relies less on attracting entirely new candidates and more on supporting experienced school employees as they move into licensed teaching roles.
Teaching assistants occupy a distinctive position within the education system. Unlike prospective teachers who encounter schools primarily through short-term training placements, TAs typically spend substantial time observing instruction, supporting students, managing classroom routines and working alongside licensed teachers. Their responsibilities can vary widely by district and school, but the role often provides direct exposure to the practical demands of teaching long before a person becomes responsible for a classroom. That experience may give former TAs a more realistic understanding of the profession, including its workload, emotional demands and rewards. It may also allow them to develop relationships with students, families and colleagues that make the transition into teaching less disruptive.
The North Carolina study examines whether this prior experience is associated with measurable differences in teachers’ early careers. According to the researchers, nearly 20 percent of beginning teachers in the state had previously worked as teaching assistants. That proportion is large enough to make the TA workforce a potentially important component of statewide teacher recruitment, rather than a marginal or incidental source of new educators. The researchers found no evidence that former TAs were less effective than other early-career teachers. Instead, their classroom performance was comparable, indicating that entering teaching through a TA position does not appear to produce teachers who are less prepared to work with students.
Teacher performance is difficult to measure because teaching affects students through multiple pathways and because schools differ in resources, student populations and working conditions. Researchers commonly rely on a combination of administrative records and student-related outcomes, while also accounting for differences among teachers and schools. The study’s comparison between former TAs and other beginning teachers is therefore significant not because it proves that every TA will become an equally effective teacher, but because it challenges the assumption that alternative entry routes necessarily compromise instructional quality. The evidence suggests that practical experience inside schools may help compensate for some of the challenges associated with beginning a teaching career.
The strongest differences appeared in retention. Former teaching assistants were significantly more likely than comparable early-career teachers to remain in the profession through their second and third years. Retention during these initial years is a crucial indicator because the early stages of teaching are often when educators confront the steepest learning curve. New teachers must simultaneously plan instruction, assess student learning, manage classrooms, communicate with families and navigate school policies. Many leave before they have accumulated enough experience to become fully established in the profession. A previous TA may enter this period with a clearer understanding of school operations and with professional relationships already in place, potentially reducing the shock of the transition.
The study does not establish that working as a teaching assistant directly causes teachers to stay longer. People who choose to work as TAs and later become teachers may differ from other candidates in ways that are difficult to observe, such as their commitment to education, familiarity with local communities or access to supportive colleagues. These characteristics could influence both their decision to enter teaching and their likelihood of remaining. Even so, the consistent association between prior TA employment and greater early-career retention provides policymakers with a potentially valuable direction for further research and program design. If districts can identify which elements of the TA experience support persistence, they may be able to strengthen those features deliberately.
The workforce implications extend beyond the overall number of teachers. Former teaching assistants were more likely to be teachers of color, according to the study, making the pathway relevant to efforts to diversify the educator workforce. Research on schooling has frequently linked teacher diversity with students’ sense of belonging, expectations and engagement, although the effects vary by context and cannot be reduced to a single outcome. A locally rooted TA may also bring knowledge of the community and experience working with students from similar backgrounds. Creating clearer routes from support roles into licensed teaching could therefore help districts recruit educators who better reflect the students they serve.
Former TAs were also more likely to hold special education licenses, another result with immediate policy relevance. Special education has long been an area in which districts report persistent staffing difficulties. Special education teachers often coordinate individualized education programs, adapt curriculum, track student progress and collaborate with families, general education teachers, counselors and specialists. Their work requires specialized knowledge of disability, instruction and legal requirements. A TA who has already supported students with disabilities may have encountered these responsibilities firsthand and may be more likely to view special education as a viable long-term career. At the same time, prior experience should not be treated as a substitute for rigorous preparation, supervised practice or the formal credentials required for licensure.
For districts, the findings suggest that teacher recruitment could begin with a closer examination of existing school employees. Many TAs are already familiar with district procedures and may have demonstrated their commitment to students, yet they can face financial, logistical or academic barriers when pursuing teacher certification. Tuition costs, unpaid student teaching requirements, examination fees and the need to balance coursework with employment can all make the transition difficult. District-supported scholarships, paid residencies, flexible degree programs, mentoring and credit for relevant experience could make the pathway more accessible. Partnerships among school systems, universities and alternative licensure programs could also create structured routes in which TAs receive preparation while continuing to work in schools.
Such investments would not eliminate broader causes of teacher shortages, including compensation, workload, student needs and working conditions. Nor would every teaching assistant want to become a teacher. The value of the research lies in identifying a workforce that is already present, already connected to schools and potentially more likely to stay once licensed. In North Carolina and other states, education agencies could use longitudinal data to track employees from TA positions into teacher preparation and then through their careers. They could examine which forms of support are associated with successful certification, strong instructional performance and long-term retention. The central message is not that teaching assistants are a guaranteed solution, but that schools may be overlooking a technically promising and socially significant pipeline in plain sight: the people already helping classrooms function every day.
Subject of Research: Teaching assistants as a pipeline into the teaching profession, including teacher performance, retention, workforce diversity and special education licensure.
Web References: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08959048261461454
References: Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis; study by Kevin Bastian and researchers from the Education Policy Initiative at Carolina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Keywords: Teaching assistants, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, teacher shortages, North Carolina education, teacher workforce, education policy, teachers of color, special education, teacher preparation, public policy
