Survey: Half Of Teachers Say They’ll Leave The Field Because Of COVID

PLANO, TX – A survey from the nonprofit publication Education Week shows more than half of the nation’s teachers are thinking of dropping out in the next two years. That’s a jump of 20% compared to before the pandemic.

The national survey of 1,000 teachers found 54% said they are ‘somewhat or very likely’ to leave teaching in the next two years. Prior to the pandemic, that number was 34%.

Rena Honea leads the largest teacher’s group in the Dallas Independent School District, the Alliance AFT.

She is not surprised by the survey results.

“Our teachers, not only in Dallas, but in Texas, are being asked to do more and more,” Honea said. “Their responsibilities have increased. They’re having to teach simultaneously in two different platforms. They’re not seeing pay increases, because the state has not released some of the money that is available in districts. Quite frankly, (districts) don’t have as much as many people think because they’ve had to spend it on pandemic spending.”

Honea doesn’t know if local teacher employment numbers reflect the national study because Texas teachers have until the summer to let a district know if they’re not returning in the fall.