The School Deserts Index: How Education Shortages Are Stifling America’s Clinical Workforce

Introducing Clasp’s School Deserts Index: Mapping Where Healthcare Training Is Falling Behind

Across the U.S., healthcare employers are facing record staffing shortages — but the problem often starts upstream. Many communities simply don’t have local training programs for critical allied health roles like radiologic technologists, surgical technologists, and respiratory therapists. Without nearby schools, local students can’t train for these careers, and local hospitals can’t fill open positions — creating what we call “school deserts.”

What Is the School Deserts Index?

The Clasp School Deserts Index is the first data tool of its kind to identify where these gaps exist. By mapping training programs against population and workforce needs, we can highlight the regions where students — and future patients — are most impacted by access gaps.

Why It Matters

• For schools: Understand where expansion or satellite programs could meet urgent community needs.
• For employers: Identify “cold spots” where recruiting requires new strategies (or employer-sponsored education support).
• For students: See how geography shapes access to certain healthcare careers — and why employer-backed programs matter more than ever.

Key Findings from This Year’s Report

• Dozens of counties with zero training options for entire allied health roles — despite high local demand.
• Rural and semi-rural regions are disproportionately affected, leaving hospitals struggling to recruit locally.
• Concentration in a handful of states: A few regions supply the majority of allied health graduates, forcing employers in underserved states to recruit nationally.

What’s Next

We’ll continue building on the Index with deeper role‑by‑role analysis, trend data, and recommendations for schools, employers, and policymakers. In the meantime, we’re using these insights to inform partnerships, connect students to debt‑free pathways, and help healthcare systems future‑proof their workforce strategies.