Newly accepted to Montclair State University’s teacher education program, I glanced around a lecture hall packed with hundreds of students for anyone who shared my major. Nope. No one. When the faculty asked each major to raise their hands, I noticed little clusters of friends sitting together. When the faculty asked for the STEM majors, though, only a small number of hands lifted, with wide gaps between us.
I was reminded how different my previous experience had been as a former music education major. Everyone knew each other’s names and worked side by side through rehearsals. There, I felt part of a community. In science education, it turns out, that’s rare. Without a shared environment that draws students together, STEM majors can easily feel isolated, a sense that erodes confidence and belonging. For those pursuing STEM teaching — or science, technology, engineering and math — isolation can push them from the field, or discourage them from ever entering it, exacerbating the staffing struggle in schools across the state.
New Jersey’s STEM teachers shortage follows a national trend. The number of math and science teachers in the state has declined by approximately 9%, according to the New Jersey Teacher Workforce 2025 Legislative Report, which analyzed data from 2013-24. Teacher exits, particularly retirements and unexplained resignations, have increased in recent years, while the ratio of newly certified teachers to those leaving the profession has decreased. That means reduced student access to quality instruction in science, math and computer science.
Isolation, burnout
Early-career STEM teachers face pressures that contribute to isolation and burnout. Recently excluded from the Department of Education’s “professional degree” classification, education degrees are subject federal loans capped at $20,500 annually ($100,000 lifetime), far below that for other professional programs. This limit makes it harder for teachers to pursue advanced degrees, which are often required for salary increases or leadership roles.
Credit: Courtesy of Kira PaulA Rutgers University report found that roughly 10% of teachers leave within their first three years, and provisional STEM certifications have dropped 40% over the past decade. The state has made efforts to turn that around by eliminating the basic Praxis Core requirement, offering scholarships and supporting apprentice programs such as ParaPreppED. That’s not been enough, though.
This decline has significant consequences. Larger student-to-teacher ratios leave less time for individualized support. Substitute teachers without subject area credentials can give inconsistent math and science instruction. For prospective STEM educators, the shortage limits mentorship and peer networks. That leads to a destructive cycle. Without enough STEM teachers in the field, students lack role models and support, which leads to fewer choosing teaching.
The good news: Research shows there are ways to strengthen the pipeline.
Some STEM educators participate in what’s called professional learning communities, where they analyze student data, refine their techniques and network. A national report on such communities shows that when science teachers collaborate, they improve their instruction and feel less isolated. If learning communities help veteran teachers stay and grow, then such systems are essential for future science educators. Scott Kight, executive director for Teaching Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Montclair State University, is a fan.
“The rare person who wants to become a science educator doesn’t know anybody else who wants to be a science educator,” Kight said. “So let’s be intentional and create communities of people that want to do that. And then already you’ve made it a little bit better for someone.”
Seen and supported
Community also builds through programs like the university’s Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics program to implement inquiry-based, standards-aligned instruction. The university’s Science Teaching Program extends this approach by offering mentoring, internships, peer leadership and scholarships guidance. Without these networks, teachers would miss the support that makes growth possible.
“Somebody has to make introductions and build a space where people of like minds are going to gather and congregate and make friends and acquaintances,” Kight explained.
New Jersey’s STEM teacher shortage is as much about retention as recruitment. Without peers or mentors, even committed students can lose confidence before entering the classroom. Community is what helps them see themselves as educators, and stay and grow.
Initiatives like Montclair State’s Science Teaching Program show what’s possible when universities take this seriously. Confidence grows. Curiosity grows. Commitment grows. And with that, the pipeline begins to rebuild.
In the classroom and in college, feeling seen and supported can make all the difference. When a mentor trusts me to lead a lesson, or a professor takes a moment to offer feedback or encouragement, it reinforces that teaching is about more than knowledge — it’s about connection. Just like in music, it’s that sense of community that sustains, inspires and keeps people engaged.
We can reshape the pathway into science education if universities, school districts and policymakers invest in community-centered support systems. When that happens, future educators won’t enter the profession scattered and unsure. They’ll step into it with a network on their side, a sense of purpose and the confidence that they have a place here.
