New School Year, Same Old Problems Not Being Addressed
CEA Back-to-School Survey finds no improvement in teacher shortages, salaries, stress, burnout, student mental health and behavioral issues
As teachers and students head back to class to begin a new school year, a new CEA Back-to-School Survey highlights persistent and worsening challenges plaguing educators, students, and public education.
The survey reveals widespread dissatisfaction among educators related to teacher shortages, low pay, stress, lack of respect, and growing concerns about student mental health and behavior.
“For several years, we have been sounding the alarm about the challenges impacting student learning and the teaching profession,” said CEA President Kate Dias. “As our cries for help continue to go unanswered, the problems facing public education have intensified. Our educators are underpaid, undervalued, and under a lot of stress, leading them to look for other careers that provide higher pay, improved working conditions, and greater respect.”
Key findings from the survey underscore the severity of the problem.
Top concerns:
• Stress and burnout (97% of educators surveyed)
• Lack of respect/educators not treated as professionals (91%)
• Problems with student discipline (89%)
• Student mental health issues (88%)
• Low educator salaries (85%). That number jumps up to 98% in urban districts.
Teacher dissatisfaction:
• 69% of teachers express dissatisfaction with the conditions in public education.
• Special education teachers and those in urban districts are particularly affected, with 81% and 85% respectively expressing dissatisfaction.
Career uncertainty:
• Nearly half of the teachers surveyed are considering early retirement or leaving the profession, and nearly one-third say they will leave the profession within the next five years.
• 64% of all teachers surveyed and 67% of special education teachers said they would not recommend that a family member or friend pursue a career in education, and 46% of educators surveyed would not choose teaching as a career if given the chance to start over.
“We have a high level of commitment in our profession, and educators love and believe in the work that they do, but mandates and the changing landscape have made the job unsustainable, and our elected leaders are not talking about it or taking any tangible action to resolve the predominant issue of burnout and stress,” added Dias. “With 97% of educators saying burnout is a key issue, we need to work together with elected leaders and local districts to strategize about addressing the problem in ways that encourage teachers to stay in the profession and inspire students to enter it.”
Addressing the shortage crisis
Shortage issues continue to impact schools across the state, with 60% of respondents saying there are openings for certified educators in their school districts and 69% reporting openings for paraeducators. In urban districts 77% of respondents said there are job openings for certified educators, compared to 59% in non-urban districts.
When asked what should be done to retain educators and encourage more students to enter the profession, the top responses were
• Higher salaries (82%)
• Better working conditions (66%)
• More support (63%)
• Other responses included less time spent on administrative tasks, more time for planning/collaborating, less testing, and more autonomy.
The majority (70%) of teachers overall and 93% in urban districts say their current salary is not commensurate with their level of education. Forty percent report having second jobs, and the reasons cited include the need to cover living expenses (28%), save money, which is not possible given their current salary (24%), manage parental expenses that include children’s college tuition, sports, and other activities (20%), and pay off their own student loans (11%).
Classroom distractions & mental health
When it comes to distractions in the classroom, cell phones top the list, and 90% of teachers support action to prohibit cell phone use during instructional time. Only 13% say their district strongly enforces cell phone policies.
More than half of teachers responding (63%) have been forced to evacuate their classrooms because of student disruptions that jeopardize safety. That number jumps to 81% among special education teachers. Over the past few years, teachers have seen upticks in a number of behavioral changes in their students, including
• Increased stress and anxiety (89%)
• More distractions (83%)
• Increased aggression or dysregulated behavior (82%)
• Less concentration (82%)
• Increased absenteeism (70%)
• Increased depression or suicidal ideation (54%)
The biggest issues students face include
• Mental health issues, including anxiety, stress, suicide ideation, and more (identified by 77% of respondents)
• Family disruption or dysfunction (68%)
• Negative impacts from social media (68%)
• Lack of resources, including not enough teachers, counselors, staff, or supplies (49%)
Despite the growing need for mental health supports for students, 56% of all educators and 68% in urban districts say there are not enough resources to meet students’ mental health needs in their school buildings. And while teachers are dedicated professionals with expertise to help students achieve, 78% say they are not trained or equipped to deal with the mental health needs of their students.
The vast majority (87%) are concerned about their safety and the safety of their students, and many report aggressive student behavior, including threats and harm directed at them. The proportion of educators who report being harmed by students rises dramatically among special education teachers and those working in urban districts.
• 35% of all educators responding say they have been harmed by a student
o Among special education teachers, 56% report being harmed by a student
o In urban districts, 49% of teachers report being harmed by a student
• 70% of all educators responding know of colleagues who have been harmed by a student
o In urban districts, 75% of educators said they know of colleagues harmed by a student
• 76% of all educators responding know of a student harming another student
o In urban districts, the number jumps to 85%
Despite inadequate pay, teachers dig into their own pockets to purchase supplies for their students. More than half (52%) say they are not provided with all the materials they need for their classroom. That number jumps to 75% for special education teachers and 69% for teachers in urban districts. Educators report spending hundreds of dollars to purchase their own supplies, with 60% spending between $101 and $500, and 27% spending over $500.
“Our educators do all they can to support their students, but our school systems must address the needs of our students,” Dias stressed. “Without significant intervention, the ongoing issues of stress, burnout, low pay, and inadequate student mental health resources threaten the sustainability of the teaching profession and the well-being of students.”
875 educators responded to the survey, which was conducted August 1-8, 2024, and has a 3% margin of error at the 95% confidence level.
