America鈥檚 K-12 teachers feel more negative than positive about their profession, according to the EdWeek Research Center鈥檚 Teacher Morale Index, a new gauge of teachers鈥� levels of confidence in鈥攁nd enthusiasm about鈥攖heir work.
But what does morale look like for an elementary teacher compared to a high school teacher? How do principals judge the morale of teachers right now? Are teachers and principals in sync on some key issues that impact how teachers feel about their jobs?
Find these answers, and dig deeper into teachers鈥� overall morale, experiences, and viewpoints on their profession in Education Week鈥檚 new project, The State of Teaching. As the linchpin of that project, the EdWeek Research Center conducted a nationally representative online survey of 1,498 teachers in October 2023, along with a separate nationally representative online poll of 659 school leaders in the same time period.
New national data on the teaching profession, vivid reporting from classrooms, and resources to help support this essential profession.
Explore the Exclusive Report.
Here are 5 key takeaways from both surveys that provide a more detailed picture about how teachers feel about their jobs and where principals align鈥攐r don鈥檛鈥攚ith those views.
1. Teachers鈥� morale is lower than school leaders perceive
Nearly half of teachers鈥�49 percent鈥攕aid their morale got worse over the past year, while only 32 percent of school leaders perceived this decline, mirroring their own reported decline in morale at 31 percent.
The gap between teachers鈥� reported levels of morale and what school leaders perceive is concerning, given the compelling research that shows how much principals affect teachers鈥� job satisfaction and retention, and by extension, student success.
2. Most teachers don鈥檛 want their own children to go into the profession
Only 21 percent of teachers would recommend a career in K-12 teaching to their own children or to a child of a close family member or friend, significantly less than 42 percent of school leaders who would do so. This sentiment suggests that perceptions of the profession can be passed on over time, a potentially significant challenge to an already shrinking teacher pipeline.
3. Teachers want more autonomy in their instruction than their principals think they should have
Teachers prefer a less rigid approach to instructional autonomy than principals do, when asked to rate on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the most structured.
4. Professional development is 鈥榠rrelevant鈥� for nearly half of teachers
Almost half of teachers鈥�48 percent鈥攕ay the PD they get or are required to take is irrelevant and not connected to their biggest needs. As one teacher said in the survey: 鈥淭eachers should have a stronger voice in the planning of PD.鈥�
5. Teachers work more than principals think鈥攁nd long for more planning time
Teachers report an average work week of 57 hours, exceeding school leaders鈥� estimate of 55 hours. Teachers also report actual teaching time as 23 hours a week, three hours more than school leaders鈥� perception.
