A new study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found Kansas had the second-highest rate of teachers leaving the profession in the nation, something Students Heart Teachers, Inc. recognized two years ago and was the impetus behind our founding.
When we ask teachers, they tell us they love teaching but mention one or several reasons for considering leaving the profession. Unrealistic expectations, low salaries, constant criticism, and hostility from political factions have taken their toll.
Finding a solution is difficult because, as Ashley Woo, coauthor and assistant policy researcher for RAND, explains, "The survey shows that pay, hours worked, and working conditions are interrelated, suggesting that pay increases alone—without improvements in working hours or conditions—are unlikely to bring about large shifts in teachers' well-being or intentions to leave the profession."
Student Heart Teachers is focused on doing our part to make students aware of the teacher shortage crisis and how it impacts their future. We also show teachers how much students appreciate them. However, large-impactful change will take a shift in how the larger community understands the important contributions teachers make every day in classrooms.
Black Teachers Are Working More for Less - Word In Black. https://wordinblack.com/2023/09/black-teachers-are-working-more-for-less/
Kansas second in nation for teachers leaving the job. https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/kansas-second-in-nation-for-teachers-leaving-the-job/?fbclid=IwAR0-hZcH4y2udHE_8etuwcN4g1ybassZAKApU_LbrK95eWmtWYc3Q3H1pDI