Characteristics of Washington High School Graduates Who Become Teachers

This study focuses on Washington public K-12 educators in school years 2021 through 2023 and, for a group of younger educators, assesses their geographic place of employment relative to the high school from which they graduated (their home high school). School characteristics of their place of employment and their home high school are also presented, as well as selected demographic characteristics of the educators.

Key Findings:

1. Of younger teachers (born Sept. 1, 1991, or after) in school years 2021 through 2023, 68% to 70% were graduates of Washington public high schools.
2. Teachers who graduated from Washington public high schools have high employment rates in their "home" school districts, ranging from 26.3% in Educational Service District (ESD) 189 (northwest Washington) to 41.4% in ESD 123 (southeast Washington). Employment in their home ESD was over 60% in eight of the nine ESDs.
3. Over half of the Washington public high school graduates who were teachers in 2021 through 2023 graduated from schools with the lowest percentages of low-income students. Only 11% to 12% graduated from schools with the highest percentages of low-income students.
4. Compared with all teachers, younger teachers were more likely to work in schools with a high percentage of low-income students. Teachers who were Washington public high school graduates were slightly more likely to work in the schools with the highest percentages of low-income students compared with all younger teachers