Only two states currently guarantee 12 weeks of paid parental leave for teachers at full salary while covering substitute teacher costs, according to a January 2026 national analysis.
Most American teachers lack access to paid parental leave, leaving educators without financial support when they have children. Research from the National Council on Teacher Quality released this month found that just 15 states and the District of Columbia offer any guaranteed paid parental leave for teachers beyond accumulated sick days.
This disparity stands out sharply when compared to the private sector, where nearly half of workers have access to paid parental leave, a gap of 14 percentage points favoring private employees over educators.
The Leaders and Laggards in Paid Leave Policies
The states leading the way are Delaware and Arkansas, which both provide the full 12 weeks of paid leave at full salary recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, according to News Channel9. Delaware pioneered this approach in 2018, becoming the first state to adopt the policy. Arkansas followed suit in 2025, making it the second state to implement this comprehensive benefit.
Importantly, both states cover the costs of substitute teachers during the leave period, removing financial barriers that often prevent school districts from offering such benefits. Six additional states, Maine, New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, and Oregon, offer 12 weeks of leave but at partial pay rates.
The remaining states that offer any paid leave typically provide shorter periods. Seven states, most located in the South, plus Washington D.C., offer full pay for fewer than 12 weeks.
More than half of the remaining 35 states require teachers to rely solely on accumulated sick days, unpaid Family and Medical Leave Act provisions, or short-term disability insurance to manage parental leave.
Teachers frequently resort to pooling vacation days, timing pregnancies to coincide with summer months, or combining multiple leave sources to create enough time off.
Impact on Teacher Retention and Future Prospects
The lack of paid parental leave carries significant consequences for teacher retention. Approximately 15 percent of teachers who leave the profession cite personal or family circumstances, including pregnancy and childcare, as reasons for departing.
When a teacher resigns, school districts spend roughly $25,000 to recruit, hire, and train a replacement. Despite these costs, many districts hesitate to offer paid leave policies, citing budget constraints and the complexity of arranging substitute coverage.
Research demonstrates that paid parental leave improves teacher retention and reduces burnout. A 2024 survey by the research firm RAND found that teachers with access to paid parental leave were significantly more likely to remain in their positions, CSBA reported.
Additionally, only 32 percent of teachers have access to any paid parental leave, and fewer than half of those who do consider their benefits adequate. This contrasts sharply with private-sector workers, of whom 78 percent with paid parental leave consider their benefits sufficient.
The cost of implementing paid parental leave varies by state size and demographics. The National Council on Teacher Quality estimates that providing 12 weeks of paid leave to Tennessee teachers, which already offers six weeks of paid leave, would cost approximately $20 million, roughly $5 per taxpayer.
These calculations account for substitute teacher costs, which represent the largest expense. States like Delaware have found that actual usage remains modest, with only 3 percent of eligible teachers using the benefit in 2024.
As states continue to grapple with educator shortages, momentum for paid parental leave policies is growing. Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Alabama have recently enacted or expanded paid leave programs.
Experts argue that without comprehensive policies at the national or state level, American teachers remain uniquely vulnerable among developed nations, as the United States remains the only developed country without a national parental leave policy, as per ExcelinEd in Action.
