Nearly half of 6,000 teachers surveyed in November said they had considered changing jobs in the past month, up from 32% in June. Slightly over a third of teachers considered changing careers entirely in the past month. Additionally, 11% said they considered taking a leave of absence.
Teacher burnout has been well-documented over the course of the pandemic. A survey conducted in May reported teachers were more likely than other government employees to express dissatisfaction with their jobs. In that survey, school employees reported higher levels of anxiety, stress, and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic than other government employees.
The most recent findings from Teachers Pay Teachers confirm findings of a National Education Association survey released last year that showed 1 in 3 teachers were considering resigning or retiring earlier due to COVID-19. A separate RAND survey showed the overall likelihood was 1 in 4 after the 2020-21 school year, compared to the pre-pandemic average of 1 in 6. Among Black teachers, 43% reported being more likely to exit the industry early.
