Durbin, Sorensen Introduce Legislation To Streamline Collection Of Educator Workforce Data

April 30, 2026 Durbin, Sorensen Introduce Legislation To Streamline Collection Of Educator Workforce Data WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today, ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week next week, introduced bicameral legislation to improve the accuracy of educator workforce data. The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would establish a permanent, national mechanism to collect teacher and principal data at the school district-level to assist in the recruitment and retention of educators. The legislation stems from research showing that all students benefit from a high-quality, diverse educator workforce, and that students of color with at least one same-race teacher often have improved academic performance, attendance, graduation rates, and aspiration to attend college. Current solutions to address both educator workforce shortages and diversity gaps use incomplete data that is not easily accessible. Without a national dataset, legislators cannot identify which schools need the most help, nor can they evaluate the effectiveness of federal investments in recruitment and retention programs like the Teacher Quality Partnership and the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence. Access to educator workforce data is necessary to track the impact of federal dollars in schools, as well as boost efforts to increase educator diversity. “Our students, particularly students of color, perform better when taught and cared for by educators who reflect the communities they serve,” said Durbin. “As our country faces educator workforce shortages, it is essential that we recruit and retain educators who share the background of their students. With the Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act , we can take a step forward in this process by examining the demographics of our current workforce so we can invest in effective recruitment and retention programs.” “Great teachers change the trajectory of a child’s life, but we can’t fix what we can’t see,” said Sorensen. “This bill gives us the clear, reliable data that we need to recruit, support, and retain strong, diverse educators in every community. It’s a simple step that will help us deliver better outcomes for students across the country.” “Legislators across the country are racing to solve an educator workforce crisis that is as complex as it is urgent—but in order to solve it, we must be able to see the full and clear picture,” said Kira Orange Jones, CEO of Teach Plus. “The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act provides the catalyst we need for a proactive and systemic redesign of our schools. We applaud the efforts of Senator Durbin and Representative Sorensen in introducing a bill to build the national data system that equips lawmakers with the data needed to ensure that every child is led by a supported, expert teacher every single day.” Specifically, the Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would direct the Department of Education (Department) to collect the following data from public schools, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and sex: The number of full-time principals employed and the average years of experience across the full-time principals employed, disaggregated by years of experience; The number of full-time preschool and K-12 teachers employed, disaggregated by years of experience; and The number of full-time teachers who hold State certificates, licenses, or endorsements in mathematics, science, English as a second language, and special education—all hard-to-staff subject areas. This data would then be published through the Department’s Civil Rights Data Collection and made publicly available. The bill would ensure privacy is protected, and individually identifiable information about teachers and principals would remain confidential. With centralized data, policymakers and stakeholders will be able to better understand and evaluate teacher recruitment and retention efforts. Accurate and accessible data also will help produce data-informed policies to address nationwide teacher shortages, allowing us to better serve our nation’s students by strengthening and ensuring a more robust, representative educator workforce. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Cory Booker (D-NJ). The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act has also earned support from Teach Plus, National Center for Learning Disabilities, UnidosUS, The Education Trust, Opportunity Culture @ Public Impact, EDGE Consulting Partners, Council of Administrators of Special Education, National Council on Teacher Quality, All4Ed, The Sikh Coalition, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Center for Black Educator Development, Latinos for Education, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, and The New Teacher Project. -30- Print Email Share Tweet