Why teachers are leaving and what we can do about it

Abstract

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.