Voices from the Classroom: Developing a Strategy for Teacher Retention and Recruitment

JOB SATISFACTION AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

While many current California teachers find their work rewarding and fulfilling, they also feel exhausted and stressed. Teachers were more likely to choose words like “Exhausting” (68%), “Stressful” (61%), “Frustrating” (49%), and “Overwhelming” (51%) to describe how they felt about their current position as a teacher over words like “Rewarding” (34%), “Fulfilling” (29%), “Enjoyable” (22%), and “Empowering” (14%). The majority expressed low levels of satisfaction with key aspects of their job.

TEACHER RETENTION

Four in ten teachers surveyed said they have considered leaving the profession. Twenty percent (1 in 5) said they will probably or definitely leave the profession within the next three years. Burnout from stress (57%) was the top listed reason for leaving the profession, with political attacks on teachers ranking as the second highest reason (40%). Other reasons include workload, low pay, student apathy and behavioral issues, and lack of support from district administrators.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION WITHIN THE SCHOOL WORK ENVIRONMENT

Many current teachers of color, especially Black teachers, said they have experienced discrimination and do not feel comfortable expressing themselves at their school site. Aspiring and former teachers of color share that feeling comfortable and a part of their school community was directly tied to whether their students and their families, peers, and leadership had similar racial/ethnic backgrounds to their own. While more than half of white teachers expressed high satisfaction that their work environment is free of discrimination and prejudice, the percentage is below 50 percent for teachers of color. Additionally,  more than six out of ten Black teachers (62%) and half of Asian-American/Pacific Islander (54%),  teachers surveyed said they have experienced racial discrimination in their current position.

Less than half of teachers strongly agreed that the environment at their school is supportive of different cultures (41%) and different identities (36%). Only 31% believe that their fellow teachers demonstrate a genuine commitment to cultivating diversity. Four in ten LGBTQ+ teachers reported discrimination based on their sexual orientation in their current teaching position.

TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS

Aspiring teachers provided insights on teacher preparation programs, including the importance of real-time teaching experiences and concerns about the workload and required state teacher assessments. Compensating student teachers was suggested by a significant number of the aspiring teachers and is viewed as a very important policy change that will help alleviate financial stress at an important time in the teacher preparation process. 18 out of 25 aspiring teachers stated that financial costs influenced their ability to finish the teacher preparation program.

PRACTICES AND POLICIES TO IMPROVE TEACHER RETENTION

Over 88% of teachers identified better pay as the top priority state and local officials should prioritize in order to improve teacher retention, followed by smaller class sizes, stronger discipline policies for students who behave disruptively, better staffing and a more manageable workload, and more support services for students. The majority (80%) of teachers surveyed said it is difficult to find affordable housing near their place of employment, while 68% said it is difficult for them to keep up with basic expenses and the cost of living; and to save for retirement. Former teachers expressed concerns regarding classroom and relationship management and indicated a desire for more professional opportunities for teachers (especially those who are newer to the field) to learn relationship-based skill sets to manage interactions with students, other teachers, administrators, and parents.