Get the latest market trends in your inbox
Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with the Axios Markets newsletter. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Minneapolis-St. Paul
Tampa-St. Petersburg news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa-St. Petersburg
State and local education employment is down 8.8% in October compared with 2019. That's education's lowest national jobs total in 20 years, according to an analysis out Tuesday from Pew Charitable Trusts.
Why it matters: With school closures, temporary layoffs and positions left unfilled in the new school year, the education workforce has been one of the hardest hit amid the pandemic.
The big picture: In addition to teachers, non-instructional positions like bus drivers, food service personnel and other support staff bore the brunt of the losses as schools shifted to distance learning.
By the numbers: Nevada (-19%), West Virginia (-14%) and Florida (-13%) recorded the largest education job declines from a year ago.
- North Dakota and Utah were the only states reporting gains in local education jobs.
- Private sector jobs dropped 6.2% year over year.
- Public colleges and universities experienced a sharper drop in employment of 13.7%. Still, this loss represents only about half of what K-12 experienced.
What to watch: A significant portion of job losses may bounce back when students physically return to classrooms, or if Congress decides to approve additional funding for education, per Pew's report.
Go deeper: America's education workforce needs students at school