Teacher burnout is still a problem. Here’s how to fix it.

Long hours and insufficient pay remain the primary factors keeping teachers from returning to the classroom year after year. Encouraging collaboration is one way leaders can keep teachers engaged and happy with their jobs.

Forty-four percent of teachers report feeling burned out “always” or “very often,” according to a new survey from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup. On average, teachers report working 50 hours per week.

Additionally, just 37% say they’re satisfied with their current workload and 45% say they’re comfortable with their salaries.

Encouraging collaboration

One recommendation is to increase opportunities for teachers to work together. Teachers who regularly collaborate with their peers about best practices, resources, and curriculum implementation are 23% more likely to be “extremely satisfied” with their jobs.

Collaboration also helps teachers understand what’s expected of them at work, the survey suggests. It further encourages them to believe that their opinions matter in the workplace, which inevitably results in higher student achievement.

“When we create opportunities for them to do their best work and collaborate, students don’t just learn—they thrive,” said Romy Drucker, director of the Education Program at the Walton Family Foundation.

Additional findings

Teacher excitement and perceptions of student success

• Teachers who strongly agree that they’re excited about the curriculum are more likely to report that students are excited to learn in class (83% vs. 58%, respectively).
• Teachers who are excited about the curriculum are more likely to be satisfied with their students’ achievement (74% vs. 54%, respectively).

Student excitement is rare, but consequential

• Only 31% of teachers “strongly agree” that they’re excited about what they’re teaching. Only 13% say their students are excited, too.
• Teachers who agree that their students are excited about instruction are more likely say their students are on track to succeed in school (76% vs. 36%, respectively).

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