Improving Teacher Working Conditions

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Background

Teachers and principals report the highest burnout rates of any occupational group¹ and are nearly twice as likely as other adults to experience frequent job-related stress.^2,3

A 2021 survey found that a much higher proportion of teachers reported frequent job-related stress than the general population of working adults.⁴ The following year, one-third of educators planned to leave their roles before the beginning of the next school year, and inability to protect their well-being was one of the top reasons.⁵ When teachers have safe, positive working conditions, they are more likely to stay in their jobs, manage their classrooms effectively, and support their students.

Educator well-being is understood to encompass four related areas: cognitive, or the thinking abilities needed for the job; subjective, or the feelings of satisfaction, confidence, and purpose; physical and mental, or the presence of stress, fatigue, anxiety, and burnout; and social, or the quality of relationships with colleagues, students, and school leaders.⁶ These four areas are closely tied to teacher retention, quality of teaching, and student learning outcomes.⁶^,7

A teacher’s well-being is experienced on an individual level, but it is shaped by broader conditions in schools, districts, and education systems. Factors such as workload, autonomy, accountability demands, leadership, and peer relationships all influence how educators feel about their work.^8,9 Many teachers face heavy workloads, limited collaboration time, and administrative tasks that go beyond the school day. They often have little control over their schedules or how they teach.⁵ These challenges can lead to high stress and emotional exhaustion, and ultimately to leaving the profession. On the other hand, strong leadership and supportive colleagues can help reduce these pressures, resulting in a greater sense of well-being compared with less-supportive environments.⁵^,⁶^,10

Recommendations

The following actions can help states and districts address the educator shortage.

Create an environment that enables supportive relationships with colleagues and provides time, resources, and assistance for educators to maintain their own well-being.

Investigate how teachers feel about working conditions, such as workload, organizational support, school connectedness, stress, job satisfaction, physical health, and life satisfaction. Use their input to inform the development of new policies or practices.

Center school climate and culture in school improvement efforts, recognizing that supportive and well-aligned environments are foundational to strengthening educators’ well-being and sustaining their capacity to lead learning.