Study Asks Teachers To Rate Their Job Satisfaction—And It’s Not Good

Here’s why 3 in 10 teachers say they’ll be looking for a new job this year, and what parents can do to help keep them in the classroom.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Being a teacher today is more challenging than ever.

Staffing shortages, political battles over curriculum, poverty, absenteeism, and social-emotional behaviors are just some of the reasons why. According to a new Pew Research study, there appears to be a widespread sense of pessimism among educators.

Researchers asked more than 2,500 national K-12 teachers to reflect on their experiences with teaching today. The results paint a grim picture, with a staggering 82% expressing a negative view of the current state of education, citing a decline over the past five years. 

“We weren’t necessarily surprised by any of the findings,” Luona Lin, a Pew Research Associate tells Parents. “But the shares of teachers expressing negative feelings about their day-to-day experiences were striking.”

Disparities in satisfaction were also evident across student age and poverty levels, with high-poverty schools facing greater challenges in curriculum implementation. Overall, 77% say they frequently find their job stressful and 68% say it’s overwhelming.

“When we asked teachers themselves what they’d want the public to know about teaching, the main theme that emerged was that teaching is a hard job,” says Lin.

COVID-19 and Ongoing Classroom Challenges

Nearly half of the teachers surveyed expressed concerns about both academic performance and student behavior in schools, a sentiment likely exacerbated by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning.

“This survey paints a stark picture of the stress and strain on teachers dedicated to helping children under trying circumstances,” says Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). “The trauma and anxiety post-COVID, the non-stop paperwork and administrative tasks, and the political culture wars have only added insult to injury.”

Lin emphasizes that the survey paints a gloomy picture of teachers' sentiments regarding students' academic performance and behavior, highlighting the myriad of challenges they encounter in managing classroom dynamics, particularly related to behavioral issues.

Teachers cited challenges in enforcing school policies on student cellphone use and reported instances of verbal abuse, with 40% experiencing physical violence from students.

High school teachers particularly also note issues of chronic absenteeism, anxiety, and depression. One in five high school teachers identified bullying as a major problem in their schools, with many highlighting only mild school disciplinary practices.

Teachers Are Dealing with Burnout

A majority of teachers surveyed expressed difficulty in achieving work-life balance, citing burnout from heavy workloads, coupled with staffing shortages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 300,000 public school teachers left the profession between February 2020 and May 2022. Seven in 10 public K-12 teachers reported that their school is understaffed.

The Pew study found that 3 in 10 teachers are considering seeking a new job this school year, with 40% of them considering positions outside of education. Pessimism about the future of the profession is widespread among teachers, with many believing it will deteriorate further in the coming years.  

Data from the National Center for Educational Statistics shows a major decline in college students studying to become teachers. The number of bachelor’s degrees in education plummeted by 50% since 1970. Alarmingly, half of the teachers surveyed in the Pew study said they would not recommend teaching as a career to young people.

“It’s frankly demoralizing—but this is perhaps the clearest indication yet that the smears, the disrespect, and the distrust have started to shrink the teacher pipeline when we should be growing it,” says Weingarten.

Feelings of disrespect and undervaluation were reported by 17% of respondents, while a similar percentage felt they were significantly underpaid, with their salaries not reflecting the effort and dedication they put into their students' education. Many also talked about working long hours, beyond those they’re contracted for.

Weingarten proposes that if schools want to recruit and retain high-quality educators, they need to offer fair wages and adequate working conditions. “Teachers love their kids, but right now they’re running on empty, and they know their beloved profession is becoming simply unsustainable,” she said. 

How Parents Can Help Teachers

A majority of teachers say parents are not holding their children accountable for their behavior in school, and are also falling short in assisting with schoolwork and ensuring regular attendance. The study shows this strain in the parent-teacher relationship underscores the importance of parental involvement in a child's education, which significantly impacts their overall social and emotional development.

“Teachers and parents are in this together. I would urge parents to get more involved with their school and their district and to actively support and engage with teachers. We need you,” says Weingarten. “That teamwork will lead to a better appreciation of what educators need to help kids and create a better learning environment for everyone.”

While the top response from teachers in the open-ended question is that they want the public to know that teaching is a hard job. Most Americans already see it that way: the study found two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs.

Teachers are not only calling for support from parents but also from the government, their administrators, other key stakeholders, as well as the general public.

“We know there’s a direct link between adequate staffing, pay, teacher well-being, and student success—so it’s imperative we expand, not cut, the resources necessary to get us there,” says Weingarten.

Given the important role teachers play in our communities, Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association (NEA), says it is imperative that we recognize and honor the dedication of educators.

“It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that our public schools and education professionals receive the necessary support needed to create welcoming learning environments where all students can thrive,” she says. “Regardless of their background or circumstances, every student deserves access to competent and compassionate educators who are committed to fostering their love for learning, nurturing their aspirations, and unlocking their full potential.”

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