Teachers continue to face a number of issues that were amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, and caused a significant increase to their workloads. A recent AdoptAClassroom.org survey of 4,103 PreK-12 teachers found that an increased number of educators may leave teaching for good as a result of teacher burnout.
In our May 2022 survey, 13% of teachers said that they are considering leaving the profession before the 2022-2023 school year begins. Historically, 8% of teachers leave the profession yearly, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
If 13% of teachers leave before the upcoming school year even begins, we are likely to see a mass exodus of teachers on a scale we haven’t seen before. When asked what is impacting their decision to leave, 80% said they are leaving due to teacher burnout.
As we prepare for another school year, it is essential that we come together as a community to ensure that our teachers feel supported. Ninety-eight percent of teachers feel undervalued. Teachers are dedicated professionals committed to their students’ success. They deserve to receive that same devotion and commitment from their own communities.
How can we make sure that our teachers feel supported?
Our survey asked teachers what ways our communities can encourage them to stay in the profession – here’s how they responded:
91% – Higher salaries for teachers
80% – Trusting teachers as education experts
77% – Providing more supplies and resources needed in the classroom
77% – Smaller class sizes
61% – Increase mental health support for students and staff
60% – Giving teachers the autonomy to select more supplies and resources for their classrooms
59% – An increased number of support staff
You can help the 77% of teachers who said they would feel encouraged to keep teaching if given more supplies and resources needed in the classroom. Make a donation through AdoptAClassroom.org to provide teachers with classroom funding to purchase the school supplies their students need to learn.
Your donation to a classroom will make a difference for teachers and their students. Currently, teachers are spending an average of $750 out-of-pocket each year to provide their students with school supplies. If teachers didn’t spend their own money on classroom supplies, many students would go without the tools and materials they need to be successful.
How Helping Teachers Helps Students
For those teachers who responded to our survey that they plan to stay in the teaching profession, 82% say they want to continue teaching for their students.
Here are some examples of the dedication teachers have for their students and why they plan to stay in the classroom regardless of feeling teacher burnout:
“We have to try to make the world better – one child at a time. If I don’t do it, who will?”
“Teachers are the backbone of our society teaching a vast amount of skills that are needed for any and all professions the students will choose for their future. I want to help each child see themselves as valuable and that they have the power within themselves to reach for their highest potential.”
“Teaching children changes the future of generations to come.”
– 2022 Spring Teacher Survey Respondents
We need to support our nation’s educators who are experiencing teacher burnout so they can continue to help our children learn and succeed in school.
Your donation through AdoptAClassroom.org can help keep teachers in the classroom by equipping them with learning supplies and resources so that they have what they need to do their job.
About AdoptAClassroom.org
AdoptAClassroom.org is a national nonprofit that provides classroom funding to PreK-12 teachers and schools throughout the U.S. Educators can use donations they receive through AdoptAClassroom.org to purchase the school supplies their students need to learn.
Since 1998, we’ve raised more than $57 million and funded more than 250,000 classrooms. AdoptAClassroom.org holds the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for 10 consecutive years and the highest transparency rating offered by GuideStar.
Make a tax-deductible donation to provide teachers with the funding they need to purchase school supplies, and help those experiencing teacher burnout feel valued by their community.
Check out these other recent surveys of AdoptAClassroom.org teachers:
2021 Teacher Spending Survey | 2022 State of Teaching Survey