Teachers are committed to their jobs, yet why are they not recommending it to others?

Two-thirds of teachers surveyed said schools are not meeting the needs of underserved students.

Most teachers plan to remain in their classrooms, but only a small fraction of these committed educators say they would recommend an education career to others. This sentiment provides further evidence for administrators that excessive workloads and lack of resources are pushing teachers to their breaking point, according to Educators for Excellence’s 6th annual “Voices from the Classroom” survey.

“When it comes to the prioritization of our students and their education, our nation is still at risk,” said Sydney Morris, co-founder and co-CEO of Educators for Excellence. “Unfortunately, the survey shows us that teachers do not have the professional autonomy, support or resources to effectively support their students, especially those who have been historically underserved, leaving many educators overwhelmed and disheartened.”

Educators for Excellence polled 1,000 teachers—including an oversample of 300 teachers of color—about curriculum, assessments, workloads and salaries, among other critical K12 topics. One startling finding: two-thirds of teachers surveyed said their schools are not meeting the needs of underserved students.


Why this superintendent is excited: He figured out how to improve career paths


Some 80% of teachers confirmed they are committed to their jobs, but only 14% would encourage others to pursue the profession. And nearly 90% of teachers feel like they have too many responsibilities, saying that despite receiving guidance and training to support diverse learners, they do not have enough resources to overcome everyday K12 challenges. Here’s what else the survey found:

  • 60% of teachers say student mental health is worse than it was before the pandemic; only 22% of teachers believe their school is meeting the needs of LGBTQ+ students.
  • A fifth of teachers have been told by a member of their school community to limit culturally relevant conversations.
  • Only 36% of teachers report having the curricular materials needed for effective instruction.
  • Only 56% of teachers believe that their state assessment accurately measures student mastery of content standards.
  • Two-thirds of all teachers, and half of teachers of color, report that higher salaries are the best way to attract and retain teachers.
  • All teachers, and particularly teachers of color, favor higher salaries for top performers or teachers working in hard-to-staff schools or subject areas.

“Every day, teachers are feeling the stress and overwhelm of the classroom, but they’re also feeling undervalued,” said Winnie Williams-Hall, a diverse learning middle school teacher at Nicholson STEM Elementary of Chicago Public Schools. “Supporting teachers and letting them know they are valued, whether through financial incentive or other recognition, can not only help retain current teachers but attract new teachers we desperately need.”

Education career corrections

Teachers were also asked about what course corrections the education system needs to make to both improve working conditions for educators and to boost outcomes for students. Their feedback covered the following areas: expectations, content and teaching and time:

Expectations: Teachers say the “central purpose” of K12 education is to prepare students to lead happy and productive lives, become engaged and informed citizens, and to participate in postsecondary education or training. To achieve this, schools must track a broad set of metrics, including graduation rates and social-emotional and career outcomes. Assessment systems must also be revamped to measure student progress more comprehensively.

Content: A large majority of teachers oppose laws that restrict classroom conversations. They believe grade-level appropriateness should be the only standard when discussing race, racism, gender identity or other issues related to identity or oppression. Teachers also believe they are the most qualified to decide how to teach culturally relevant content.

Nearly 80% of teachers report receiving the materials, guidance or training to deliver culturally relevant instruction, compared to only 30% who said the same in 2021. When it comes to parental involvement, only 2% of teachers think parents should have ultimate decision-making authority over the curriculum, though many of the educators surveyed are willing to collaborate with families.

Teaching and time: Eight in 10 teachers say they plan to spend their entire career in a classroom. That’s a slight drop from the 86% who shared this outlook in 2022. One reason may be that many teachers field their current workloads are unsustainable. One solution is giving them more time and support in “effectively collaborating with other members of school staff in order to allow them to focus on their core instructional work,” the report says.

Teachers also want more help in supporting English learners, students with special needs and other unique learners, as well as more training in alternative discipline approaches, such as restorative practices and positive behavioral intervention and supports.

Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. Prior to writing for District Administration he worked in daily news all over the country, from the NYC suburbs to the Rocky Mountains, Silicon Valley and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He's also in a band.

Most Popular