Teacher Morale, Job Satisfaction, and Burnout in Schools of Choice Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Student enrollment patterns have been studied during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many families seeking alternatives to traditional public schools. Less is known about teacher experiences in these alternatives. We explored predictors of teacher job satisfaction, burnout, and morale. Of particular interest was whether these presented differently across school types. We surveyed teachers nationwide (n = 798) in May 2022. Three linear regression models were tested. Results suggested that teacher autonomy and administrative support were significant predictors in each model. Private school teachers experienced greater job satisfaction and morale than traditional public school teachers;charter school teachers had greater levels of morale. © 2023 Taylor & Francis.

Why teachers are leaving and what we can do about it

Teaching has always been a demanding profession, and the demands have only escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. David T. Marshall, Tim Pressley, Natalie M. Neugebauer, & David M. Shannon review research from before and during the pandemic to learn what makes teachers likely to leave the profession and share results from their May 2022 survey of 830 teachers. Around three-fourths of teachers surveyed had considered leaving their positions during the 2022-23 school year, with more than half considering positions outside education. Teachers describe the increased workload, ongoing stress, and lack of support from administrators and parents as factors that led them to consider leaving.