Teacher stress now exceeds pandemic levels

America’s K-12 educators are more stressed than ever, with many considering leaving the profession altogether, according to new survey data. The Teacher Stress Survey, which polled more than 800 K-12 educators across the U.S., found that nearly half of teachers view the 2024-25 school year as the most stressful of their careers.

Student behavior challenges, low compensation, and administrative demands are driving teacher burnout and turnover at alarming rates. Public school teachers were more likely to report stress from unrealistic workloads, large class sizes, school safety concerns, and student behavior issues than their private school counterparts.

The vast majority of teachers are experiencing some level of stress, with more than two-thirds reporting moderate to very high stress. K-5 teachers were the most likely to feel extremely stressed. Teachers report that their current stress levels are higher than when they first started teaching.

Nearly one in 10 teachers surveyed are planning to leave the profession this year, while nearly one in four are actively thinking about it. One-third of teachers do not expect to be teaching three years from now, likely because nearly half of teachers don’t feel appreciated for the work that they do.

Teachers need tangible, meaningful, and sustained support, according to Dr. Josh Prieur, director of education enablement at Prodigy Education and former assistant principal in the U.S. public school system. “The fact that stress levels for so many teachers have exceeded those of the pandemic era should be a wake-up call,” he said.

Implementing school-provided self-care perks and mandatory self-care breaks would appeal to teachers, with 85 percent and 76 percent taking advantage of each benefit, respectively. Top solutions that would reduce teachers’ stress include a higher salary, a four-day school week, stronger classroom discipline policies, and smaller class sizes.

Public school teachers were more likely to prefer a shorter week, while private school educators opted for higher pay. Dr. Prieur also suggested that districts can do this by investing in tools that reduce the burden on teachers, prioritizing time for professional development and implementing policies that reinforce teachers’ value as an ongoing commitment to bettering the profession.

Seventy-eight percent of teachers say they actively make time for self-care, but nearly half feel guilty for spending time on self-care and 78 percent have skipped self-care due to work demands.

For now, it’s clear that teacher stress levels have surpassed pandemic-era highs, and it’s up to educators, administrators, and policymakers to take action and provide the necessary support to help teachers succeed. As Dr. Prieur noted, “Teacher Appreciation Week should serve as the starting point for building systems that show we value teachers’ time, talent, and well-being.”