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State of the States: Investing in Teachers and Families through Paid Parental Leave. [Executive Summary]

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Bibliographic Details
Title: State of the States: Investing in Teachers and Families through Paid Parental Leave. [Executive Summary]
Language: English
Authors: National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality. 2026.
Availability: National Council on Teacher Quality. 1420 New York Avenue NW Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-393-0020; Fax: 202-393-0095; Web site: http://www.nctq.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Descriptive
Descriptors: Leaves of Absence, State Policy, Educational Policy, Employed Parents, State Programs, State Legislation, Teachers, Teacher Salaries, Eligibility, Teacher Employment Benefits
Geographic Terms: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Washington
Abstract: When states and school districts do not offer paid parental leave, they are asking teachers to choose between their students and their own children. The United States is the only high-income country without guaranteed paid leave for new parents--leaving many teachers, nearly 80% of whom are women, without the support they need to care for their families. In most states, teachers are forced to hoard sick days or try to time their pregnancies around summer break just to avoid unpaid time away from their classrooms. This executive summary discusses three policy levers that can strengthen and stabilize the teacher workforce through paid parental leave. This summary contains policy recommendations and additional considerations for state leaders.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED680401
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:When states and school districts do not offer paid parental leave, they are asking teachers to choose between their students and their own children. The United States is the only high-income country without guaranteed paid leave for new parents--leaving many teachers, nearly 80% of whom are women, without the support they need to care for their families. In most states, teachers are forced to hoard sick days or try to time their pregnancies around summer break just to avoid unpaid time away from their classrooms. This executive summary discusses three policy levers that can strengthen and stabilize the teacher workforce through paid parental leave. This summary contains policy recommendations and additional considerations for state leaders.