Supply and Demand Data for California Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

The labor market represents a core issue that professions should strive to understand. In California, the labor market is particularly relevant for those in education as there is discussion around a teacher shortage. Couple that with a profession that has had to endure teacher layoffs stemming from underlying economic issues, such as school district concerns about budget deficits, it highlights the overall complexity of the labor market. For members of the physical education profession, dealing with the dynamical nature of the labor market has been an unfortunate reality. From physical education teachers to physical education teacher education programs, key stakeholders should know the fundamentals regarding the labor market. The purpose of this article is to summarize recent supply and demand data for California physical education teachers. Beyond describing supply and demand data, implications will be discussed regarding how labor market trends impact members of the profession.