Figure C
K–12 education employment is above pre-pandemic levels, but key support occupations are still lagging: Percent change in employment by elementary and secondary school occupation group, August 2019–August 2025
| Group | Percent change in employment, Aug 2019 to Aug 2025 |
|---|---|
| All K–12 employment | 1.4% |
| Administrative staff | -3.0% |
| School bus drivers | -9.5% |
| Custodians | -12.4% |
| Food service workers | -4.3% |
| Paraprofessionals | 16.5% |
| Teachers | -4.3% |
Notes: Data are based on 12-month averages ending in the indicated month. Paraprofessionals include teaching assistants and child care workers.
Source: Author’s analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data accessed via the EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, https://microdata.epi.org.
This chart appears in:
- Paid Sick Leave 2020
- Two-thirds of low-wage workers still lack access to paid sick days during an ongoing pandemic
- Paid Sick Days 2022
- Over 60% of low-wage workers still don’t have access to paid sick days on the job
- New data show that access to paid sick days remains vastly unequal: Amid federal inaction, 61% of low-wage workers are without paid sick days
- Paid sick leave access expands with widespread state action: Low-wage workers without access face economic and health insecurity
- Access to paid sick leave continues to grow but remains highly unequal by geography and wage level
- The school bus driver shortage has improved slightly but continues to stress K–12 public education
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