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Survey reveals key insights on teacher retention post-pandemic

University of Missouri researchers recently surveyed 468 teachers and found that 78% have thought about quitting the profession since the 2020 pandemic.

And seasoned educators—those with more than 5 years of experience—were more likely to consider leaving than their newer colleagues, according to the study from Mizzou's College of Education and Human Development.

Teachers cited a range of reasons for wanting to quit, including a lack of administrative support, excessive workloads, inadequate compensation and challenging student behaviors.

"Understanding factors associated with teachers considering leaving the field, such as teacher stress and burnout, is essential for addressing the problems and creating a more supportive environment for educators, which ultimately impacts students and the quality of education they receive," said Wendy Reinke, a Curators' Distinguished Professor in Educational, School and Counseling Psychology and associate vice chancellor for research.

When teachers leave, it can hurt students' learning, emotional well-being and overall success. The findings highlight the need for schools and policymakers to better support teachers, helping them stay in the profession and creating better learning environments for students.

"It's a ripple effect," said Reinke, who is also a co-director of the Missouri Prevention Science Institute at Mizzou. "If teachers struggle, instruction suffers, and students don't learn as they should. When there aren't enough teachers, schools may hire uncertified staff or increase class sizes, making effective instruction and learning less likely. Disruptive behavior also spreads—kids in disorderly classrooms carry those habits into the next grade."

This study sets the foundation for future research on developing lasting solutions, including a new project focused on creating and implementing a comprehensive plan to tackle these issues.

"It's important that we develop ideas for supporting teachers alongside our school partners," Reinke said. "We want their input to help us figure out what this model would look like to best support teachers, administrators, and ultimately, the students they serve."

"Teacher stress, coping, burnout and plans to leave the field: A post-pandemic survey" was in the journal School Mental Health. Co-authors are Keith C. Herman, Melissa Stormont and Farshad Ghasemi from the Missouri Prevention Science Institute.