Observing National Teacher Appreciation Week
America’s K-12 teachers have experienced a notable upswing in morale but have serious concerns about K-12 schools. That’s the central message about what teachers are thinking from two polls of public school teachers from Education Week and the Pew Research Center and one poll of public and private school teachers from EdChoice/Morning Consult.
These one-point-in-time snapshots help us understand teachers’ views of their profession and K-12 education. As the school year draws to a close and we observe National Teacher Appreciation Week, it’s valuable to hear the voices of teachers, as challenging and unsettling as some of their perspectives may be.
A Rebound In Morale
Public and private school teachers report an upswing in morale after years of pandemic-era low morale. Education Week’s 2024-2025 Teacher Morale Index of public school teachers registers a plus 18 on a scale from minus 100 to plus 100, a significant rise from last year’s minus 13. The EdChoice/Morning Consult poll reaches a similar conclusion for public and private school teachers, saying they have experienced a strong rebound in morale and renewed optimism about their profession.
The rebound has its caveats. While job satisfaction is improving, it is still lukewarm. The Pew Research Center poll found that only about one-third of public school teachers are “very satisfied” with their job, roughly half the rate of “very satisfied” workers in the U.S. labor force. About 48% of teachers say they are somewhat satisfied, and 18% are not very satisfied.
Morale is not uniform across the country. The Teacher Morale Index for public school teachers ranged from a high of plus 47 in Georgia and 43 in Arizona, the most contented states, to a low of minus 14 in New Hampshire, 13 in Oregon, and 10 in Massachusetts, the most disheartened. These differences suggest that national improvement in morale masks pockets of frustration at the state and local levels.
Cloudy Outlook On the K-12 System
Even as personal job satisfaction inches up, many teachers remain pessimistic about K-12 education. The Pew Research Center poll found that 82% of public school teachers say K-12 education has worsened in the past five years. Only 20% expect improvements over the next five years, while the majority (53%) fear it will worsen. In short, public school teachers believe K-12 education is on the wrong track.
Teachers cite many reasons for this pessimism, including social and behavioral problems that make their job harder. When the Pew Research Center asked public school teachers about student challenges, three issues topped the list: poverty (53%), chronic absenteeism (49%), and children’s mental health struggles (48%). These issues cut across urban and rural lines and are acute in high schools: 61% of public high school teachers cite absenteeism as a major issue.
In addition to out-of-school hurdles, there are in-school problems. Nearly three-quarters of public school teachers say discipline issues frequently interrupt their classes. Almost half (47%) report that students show little or no interest in learning. One-third cite frequent cellphone distraction as a serious issue, which rises to 72% among high school teachers.
Additionally, basic respect and order are problems. Almost one out of five public school teachers say that student disrespect is a major problem, and a similar number say that students wandering around when they should not is another major problem. Most alarming is the fact that a majority of these teachers have been on the receiving end of abuse. Almost seven out of 10 (68%) report that they have been yelled at or threatened by a student, and 40% have experienced physical violence from a student. Two-thirds feel their school’s discipline policies are too lax, and 67% say they lack input on discipline decisions.
Overwhelmed Yet Hopeful
Despite these challenges, teachers have not given up. One striking insight from the polls is the dual nature of teachers’ mindset. They are stressed and overwhelmed yet remain dedicated to their students and profession. The Morning Consult/EdChoice poll captured this paradox. About 67% of public and private school teachers feel a strong sense of purpose and hope when thinking about the future, even as nearly 1 out of 3 say they feel overwhelmed.
The stress is real. In the Pew Research Center poll, 54% of public school teachers said it is difficult to achieve a work-life balance. A solid majority (58%) reported “often ” feeling their job is stressful or overwhelming. Female teachers feel this more acutely than male teachers. Only about one-third of teachers feel “extremely” or “very” satisfied with their jobs.
Moreover, only about half of public school teachers (51%) think the public understands that teaching is a tough job. However, two-thirds of Americans recognize that being a K-12 teacher is harder than most jobs, indicating a perception gap between the two groups.
The EdChoice/Morning Consult poll of public and private school teachers reports that just over one-third of teachers have considered leaving the profession either a lot (15%) or some (20%), roughly the same as a year ago. Public school teachers are more likely (36%) than private school teachers (28%) to have considered leaving.
The Pew Research Center poll reports that as of April 2024, public school teachers were about evenly split over whether they would advise a young person to become a teacher—48% saying they would and 52% saying they would not. However, the March 2025 EdChoice/Morning Consult poll of public and private school teachers suggests this attitude may be easing. It reports, “Teachers’ likelihood to recommend the teaching profession continues to rise across all schooling types after hitting an all-time low” in 2024.
K-12 Policy
Teachers are not a monolith in their policy views and are receptive to specific K-12 education reforms. The EdChoice/Morning Consult poll includes public and private school teachers, allowing for a comparison of their opinions on K-12 issues.
Take charter schools, independent public schools of choice exempt from many existing public school regulations. Roughly 50% of all teachers strongly or somewhat support them when asked a question that does not describe them, breaking out to 55% of private school teachers and 47% of public school teachers. When teachers are given a description of charter schools, the percentages rise to 62% of private school teachers and 57% of public school teachers.
Another example is education savings accounts, or ESAs, which are government-authorized savings accounts for parents that can be used for approved educational purposes. Roughly 60% of all teachers strongly or somewhat support them when asked a question that does not describe them, breaking out to 66% of private school teachers and 59% of public school teachers. When given a description of ESAs, the percentages rise to 81% of private school teachers and 74% of public school teachers.
So the claim that teachers resist different approaches to school choice does not reflect this more nuanced reality. Moreover, teachers with fewer years of experience were typically more likely to strongly or somewhat support charter schools and ESAs before and after they were described.
Parent Support
Another area of teacher concern is parental support and involvement. Teachers think parents could be more engaged partners in their children’s education. The Pew Research Center poll shows that most teachers believe parents are doing “too little” to help, whether enforcing discipline at home or assisting with homework. This does not mean teachers see parents as adversaries.
Teachers want parents and the public on their side. When asked what they wish Americans knew, teachers’ answers are simple: We need your support. They ask for trust as professionals, help reinforcing expectations for students, and an understanding that their job is complex and important.
The K-12 Social Contract
America’s teachers love teaching and care deeply about their students. But they are strained by the conditions under which they teach. They are cautiously optimistic that things can improve.
This improvement effort must focus on rebuilding the K-12 social contract between teachers, parents, and other community stakeholders. It includes a vision where teachers are respected, parents are partners, and politicians focus on problem-solving rather than point-scoring.
There are no quick and easy fixes. But as the school year ends and as we observe National Teacher Appreciation Week, if we want strong schools tomorrow, we should begin by listening to teachers today.