Could teaching assistants be an overlooked teacher pipeline? New research says yes
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As school districts continue searching for ways to recruit and retain teachers, new research from UNC-Chapel Hill suggests one promising pipeline may already be in classrooms: teaching assistants.
A new statewide study from the Education Policy Initiative at Carolina (EPIC) found that nearly 1 in 5 beginning teachers in North Carolina previously worked as teaching assistants.
Researchers also found that these former TAs perform just as well as other early-career teachers—and are significantly more likely to remain in the profession through their second and third years.
The findings also suggest the TA-to-teacher pipeline could help address other workforce needs. Former TAs are more likely to be teachers of color and to hold special education licenses, strengthening areas where many districts face persistent shortages.
More information
Kevin C. Bastian et al, Pathways and Outcomes for Early-Career Teachers With Teaching Assistant Experience, Educational Policy (2026). DOI: 10.1177/08959048261461454
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Could teaching assistants be an overlooked teacher pipeline? New research says yes (2026, August 23)
retrieved 23 August 2026
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