Interview: Why Paid Parental Leave Matters for Educators

Recently, E4E policy fellow, Dr. Shanita Rapatalo, spoke with Cedric Jacobson, a teacher in Massachusetts, about his experience taking paternity leave and what stronger parental leave policies could mean for educators and schools.

E4E: What do new parents who are educators need most?

CJ: First and foremost, compassion and understanding.

Flexibility is also critical. When our daughter was born, we wanted to help our son adjust to becoming a big brother. That meant spending more time with him, both with and without the baby. My school allowed me to leave early several days a week so I could pick him up from daycare.

There were also moments when family needs came up unexpectedly. My wife had a medical issue that required me to stay home for a week early in the school year, and my leadership team worked with me to cover my classes.

With a toddler and a newborn, someone is almost always sick. I sometimes needed to come in late, leave early, or step away for a few hours during the day. The administration’s willingness to work with me made a huge difference in my sense of being supported and valued as an educator.

E4E: Can you share your current experience with parental leave?

CJ: I’m currently about one month into my second paternity leave. My son was born in August 2023, and my daughter in June 2025. When my son was born, I took several weeks of leave right away and stayed home with him until the first day of school. After my wife returned to work following her 20 weeks of leave, I used the remainder of my leave to continue staying home with him.

I feel extremely fortunate that my school district supports staff through the parental leave process, including both birthing and nonbirthing partners. We receive 12 weeks of paid bonding leave through the state, which typically replaces between 60 and 80 percent of your salary. In addition, our school covers the remaining difference for a certain number of weeks, depending on years of service. Based on my time in the district, I will receive full pay for 10 of the 12 weeks I plan to take.

I also recognize that many teachers, including educators in my own state, do not have access to benefits this generous.

E4E: What have been the biggest positives and challenges of taking leave?

CJ: At a time when the profession is losing effective educators, it’s incumbent upon us to consider what we can do to keep good people in classrooms across the nation. Paid parental leave shows that we care about teachers’ overall well-being and their lives outside of school. 

Challenge: I teach an AP Biology course and another called Advanced Lab Chemistry; despite having detailed lesson plans and materials, I know that students will experience these 12 weeks differently with a less experienced teacher than they would if I were at school. There are all the little nuances and acquired wisdom I remember to convey in the moment, but that don’t always fit into a lesson plan.

Positive: In my second time around, I’m able to be more present with my baby, going to music classes, read-and-sing-alongs, play groups, and other programming at local libraries and other spaces. As a father and nonbirthing partner, I know this is especially rare and valuable, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity for this extra time. 

Positive: Additionally, one must consider the financial benefit of paid parental leave. While true in most places that teachers can use sick & vacation days to get “paid” during their Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), this is not a sufficient income, given the many unknown and unplanned expenses that arise during infancy. Infant daycare in my area averages over $650/week, which is $ 2,600 saved per month, allowing me to be home with my daughter. 

E4E: What do current parental leave policies look like for teachers?

CJ: Federal law through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires most employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with job protection. I’m fortunate to live in a state that offers some form of paid parental leave, though only two states, Delaware and Arkansas, offer a full 12 weeks for paid paternal leave. In Massachusetts, the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program covers many workers, but municipal employees such as teachers are typically excluded. Because the state cannot require cities and towns to cover the cost of parental leave without providing funding, participation is left up to individual municipalities. As a result, most teachers in Massachusetts are not eligible for paid maternity or paternity leave through the state program. Teachers’ leave benefits are determined on a district-by-district basis through collective bargaining agreements.

E4E: What Solutions Can You Offer?

CJ: Every state should do these three things: 1. Require districts to offer at least 12 weeks of paid parental leave for teachers, beyond sick days. 2. Guarantee that teachers on paid parental leave receive their full salary for the entire duration of their leave. Finally, 3. Extend leave eligibility and benefits to all teachers who become parents–including fathers, other non-birthing parents, and adoptive and foster parents.

1. If states create a specific fund to cover the cost of a long-term substitute during leave, this would allow for a temporary replacement without interrupting students’ education. This sort of “risk pool” is used in Delaware and Arkansas, where the state covers the cost of the sub and the teacher stays on payroll, thus allowing 12 weeks of paid leave.

2. Another effective model is for districts to include a line item in the budget for parental leave. When a teacher goes on leave, they remain on payroll, and the district can then offer a premium stipend to retired teachers or permanent subs to cover the class. Both states that provide full pay for 12 weeks—Delaware and Arkansas—cover the full cost of long-term substitutes while teachers are on leave. This support allows districts to pay teachers their full salary during leave without creating a significant burden for the state.

3. Traditionally, most teachers must burn up their accrued sick time to get paid during parental leave, which leaves the parent in a tough position should someone get sick later in the school year. Educators should be allowed a separate bucket of leave specifically for the birth or adoption of a child, which does not deduct from their accrued sick or vacation time. 

Research shows that when paid parental leave is extended to non-birthing parents like fathers, it results in greater parental involvement; healthier and more stable family relationships; and improved career opportunities for women. Given these demonstrated benefits, it stands to reason that similar positive outcomes would extend to other non-birthing parents, including those who adopt or foster children.