Over Half of US Teachers Are , Considering Leaving Their Jobs, Poll Says.
According to the National Education Association poll, which took place in January, .
55% of educators in America intend to quit teaching sooner than they had initially planned.
NPR reports that number has increased significantly since August due to the continued demands being placed on teachers amid the seemingly never-ending pandemic.
The poll's other findings include:.
90% of teachers say burnout is a serious issue.
86% have seen more colleagues leave teaching or retire early since the onset of the pandemic.
and 80% say unfulfilled job openings place more work obligations on those who remain.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
there are 567,000 fewer public school teachers in the
United States currently as opposed to before the pandemic.
The National Education Association reports
43% of positions remain unfilled.
The teachers union says American Rescue Plan money should be used as incentives to keep and hire staff.
We were asked to assist [U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona] to really push on this part of the use of those funds because some school districts were a little leery about using them to hire staff, Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, via NPR