During my tenures as the leader of the public school districts in St. Paul, Austin, and Atlanta, National Teacher Appreciation Week was always one of my favorite weeks of the year! It was a time for our school community and for me, personally, to celebrate the selfless and tireless work of our amazing, dynamic teachers. It was only a small token, but every year in May, we celebrated our teachers with flowers, gifts, praise, and recognition. This year, on National Teacher’s Day (May 6th) and during National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9), I hope you’ll find a moment to express your gratitude, however you can, for a teacher you love.

Today, roughly 3.2 million K-12 teachers serve around 49 million students in 98,500 U.S. public schools. It is estimated that the average teacher affects over 3,000 students during their career, both in and out of their classroom. Sadly, however, too many teachers today feel unappreciated and overworked.

In a recent survey, the majority of teachers reported that their job is frequently stressful (77%) and even overwhelming (68%), and they believe schools are understaffed (70%) (Pew Research Center, 2024). While 51% of all U.S. workers said they are “extremely or very satisfied” with their jobs, only 33% of teachers shared the same sentiment. Not surprisingly, more than half of teachers (52%) said they would not advise a young person to become a teacher (Forbes, 2024 & Pew Research Center, 2024). Similarly, according to a recent Phi Delta Kappan poll, only 37% of Americans want their child to become a public school teacher (2022). It is not surprising, then, that teacher turnover and teacher shortages are at an all-time high. As a middle school teacher who found great joy and purpose serving in this role,  I find this data heartbreaking. Given that May is also Mental Health Awareness month, these numbers also remind us of the urgent need to support the social and emotional well-being of our students as well as our educators, who are navigating a profession under immense strain.

Related: Dr. Leslie Anderson’s article in the “Numbers That Matter” section of this newsletter highlights the importance of mental and social, and emotional health for our racially-minoritized youth. 

A 2022 Gallup survey revealed a staggering statistic: workers in K-12 education reported significantly higher rates of burnout than those in any other industry (see below). Forty-four percent (44%) of teachers reported that they are “always” or “very often” burned out at work. The burnout rates among K-12 educators even exceeded those of frontline COVID-19 workers, such as healthcare and law enforcement workers.

Unfortunately, the mental health and job satisfaction crises among teachers did not end with the close of the pandemic. In a 2024 Rand survey, a similar pattern emerged. “Teachers’ reported well-being worse than that of similar working adults—a consistent pattern since 2021. When compared with similar working adults, about twice as many teachers reported experiencing frequent job-related stress or burnout, and roughly three times as many reported difficulty coping with their job-related stress” (Rand, 2024).

“Managing student behavior, low salaries, and administrative work outside of teaching were top sources of job-related stress. Teachers reported working nine hours per week more than similar working adults—nearly two hours more per day —but reported earning about $18,000 less, on average” (Rand, 2024).

On the bright side, seven out of 10 teachers (71%) reported being “extremely or very satisfied” with other teachers in their school. In addition, a recent survey by YouGov (2022) found that 53% of U.S. adults say a teacher changed their life for the better.

Question: “Did you ever have a school teacher who changed your life for the better?”

• U.S. Adults – 53% (answered “Yes”)
• White Americans – 58%
• Black Americans – 52%
• Hispanic Americans – 33%

While many teachers feel unsatisfied and burned out, the public continues to have very positive views of teachers:

• Teachers are consistently voted among the top five “most prestigious occupations.”
• Nearly 100% of people (98%) believe a good teacher can change a student’s life.
• More than half (54%) of students say a teacher helped them during a difficult time.
• Most people (88%) say a teacher had a significant, positive impact on their life.
• Most students (75%) say teachers are mentors and role models.
• Almost nine out of ten people (89%) believe teachers have a hard job.
• 83% of students say a teacher has boosted their self-esteem and confidence.
• Nearly all Americans (94%) say we should do more to recognize good teachers.
• 87% of people say they wish they had told their best teachers how much they appreciated their efforts (We Are Teachers, 2019).

As a former teacher and superintendent, I know the teaching profession is many times more demanding than most people understand. That is why it is so troubling to know that many teachers not only feel underappreciated but, in too many cases, feel under attack. Research shows that the most critical factor in student achievement is high-quality educators. Every day, teachers provide students with guidance, motivation, and inspiration so they can succeed far beyond the boundaries of their school building. After a child’s parents, no one is more instrumental in their development than a teacher. This year, 3.6 million students will graduate from a U.S. high school, and they’ve all been influenced by a teacher. What teachers do absolutely matters! The “Grit, Growth, and Graduation” article later in this newsletter illustrates the impact that teachers have on HBCU and Morgan State University students every day.

So, as we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s remember that behind every cap tossed at graduation and every student who dares to dream bigger, there is a teacher who helped make it possible. This May, whether it’s a handwritten note, a heartfelt thank-you, or a simple gesture of acknowledgment, take the time to let a teacher know they’ve made a difference in your life!

-Meria J. Carstarphen

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References:

Bruno, M., 2024. K-12 Teachers Are Not A Happy Lot. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brunomanno/2024/06/11/k-12-teachers-are-not-a-happy-lot/

Forbes (Green, P.) 2024. The State Of The Teaching Profession. Forbes.com. https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2024/04/05/the-state-of-the-teaching-profession/

Gallup, 2022. U.S. Workers’ Burnout Rates by Industry. https://news.gallup.com/poll/393500/workers-highest-burnout-rate.

PDK Poll, 2022. PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools.

https://pdkpoll.org/2022-pdk-poll-results/

Pew Research Center, 2024. What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today? https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/whats-it-like-to-be-a-teacher-in-america-today/

Rand, 2024. Doan, S., Steiner, E., & Pandey, R. Teacher Well-Being and Intentions to Leave in 2024. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA1100/RRA1108-12/RAND_RRA1108-12.pdf

We Are Teachers, 2019. 12 Powerful Statistics: That Prove Why Teachers Matter. https://www.weareteachers.com/teacher-impact-statistics/. (Research facts were provided by the following: ING Foundation Survey, National Center for Education Statistics, The Harris Poll, and EdWeek.)

YouGov, 2022. Dumitru, O. How are teachers changing their students’ lives? https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/43501-how-teachers-changing-their-students-lives-poll