A profession under pressure.
One in four public school teachers in the US say they are likely to leave their jobs within the next year, while only about one-third feel genuinely appreciated, according to a troubling new survey.
The report, released Wednesday by the Walton Family Foundation, Gallup and the Mattering Institute, found that just 35% of K-12 educators believe they “matter a great deal” at their school. Nearly one in five—19%—said they matter little or not at all.
The sense of being overlooked was closely tied to burnout. Among teachers who said they do not feel they matter, 68% reported frequent burnout, and fewer than half said they planned to stay in education.
Teachers working at private, independent and charter schools were considerably more likely than public school teachers to say they matter a great deal.
Special education teachers were also more likely than educators in other subject areas to feel that their work matters a great deal.
Age emerged as another significant factor in teacher job satisfaction.
Nearly half of teachers aged 60 and older—47%—said they matter a great deal at their schools. That compared with between 31% and 34% among younger age groups.
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Overall, 25% of public school teachers said they were likely to leave their current position within the next year: 12% described themselves as very likely to leave and 13% as somewhat likely.
Just over half of educators, or 52%, said they planned to remain in the classroom for the rest of their careers. Another 12% said they did not intend to stay in the profession, while 24% were unsure.
The findings also showed a strong connection between feeling valued and long-term commitment. Teachers who believed they mattered were much more likely to say they wanted to remain in education throughout their careers.
Among educators with low investment scores, 41% said they were likely to leave. That figure fell to 24% among those with moderate scores and to just 12% among teachers with high investment scores.
“The findings of our study reveal a troubling gap,” said Jennifer Wallace, founder of The Mattering Institute.
“Too few of America’s K–12 educators feel they truly matter. But they also point to a path forward, with simple, research-backed practices that school leaders, parents and communities can use to help educators feel valued, supported, and able to see the difference they make,” she said.
“The people who help our children know they matter deserve to know they matter, too,” Wallace added.
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