Creating a supportive environment where every student can succeed is essential, but it also requires supporting educators. According to a 2023 RAND Report, 23% of teachers said they were likely to leave their jobs by the end of the 2022-23 school year.
Teacher turnover
K-12 workers have the highest burnout rate of any industry in the United States. A staggering 44% say they “always” or “very often” feel burned out at work, according to the 2022 Gallup Panel Workforce Study. College faculty and staff have the second highest rates, following at 35%. Specifically, the report states, “Within the K-12 employee population, teachers are the most burned out, at 52%.”
Teaching is a rewarding but challenging profession, often with lower wages than other public sector jobs. Teachers juggle student dynamics, family interactions, and constantly shifting national and state-level policies. The pandemic exacerbated these challenges and introduced new ones. Complicating matters further, many states face contentious political debates over their K-12 curriculum, affecting educators’ relationships with parents and families. As a result, the profession is grappling with high burnout rates and alarming turnover:
- 300,000 teachers left the profession between 2020 and 2022, a 3% decline in the workforce
- Half of new teachers exit within their first five years
- One in four teachers expressed a desire to leave after the 2020-21 school year
Turnover rates in K-12 schools for teachers of color are higher than their white counterparts. Specifically, the turnover rate for Black teachers was 22%, compared to 15% for white teachers in 2022, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. Additionally, Black teachers in the 2023 State of the American Teacher Survey indicated significantly higher rates of burnout compared to their white counterparts.
Failure to retain teachers costs the U.S. $8.5 billion annually. According to the Learning Policy Institute, turnover costs school districts between $20,000 and $30,000 per teacher. Calculate your school or district’s turnover cost using their calculator.
Of course, many teachers remain committed to supporting their students and communities. But they need the support of school leaders, including principals, HR administrators, and superintendents, to prevent burnout and support their holistic well-being. Addressing teacher mental health has never been more urgent, especially for K-12 professionals.
Understanding teacher burnout
Burnout, as described by Psychology Today, is “a state of chronic stress leading to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness.” The National Education Association defines it as when “an educator has exhausted the personal and professional resources necessary for the job.”
High stress levels in the workplace are a factor leading to teacher burnout. This stress diminishes teachers’ effectiveness, negatively affecting the quality of their instruction, classroom management, and relationships with students. A study focused on secondary teacher burnout revealed the following alarming rates:
- 40% experience low levels of personal accomplishment
- 38% report high levels of depersonalization
- 28% suffer from severe emotional exhaustion
Teachers experiencing burnout find it challenging to build positive relationships with students, deliver lessons, and address individual needs. These result in higher teacher absenteeism, early retirements, and increased costs due to the need for substitute teachers. Simply put, burned-out teachers struggle to offer students the crucial support they need.
24/7 Support for K-12 Teachers & Staff
The effect of burnout on students
A systematic review of studies confirms that “Burned-out teachers negatively affect themselves, their students, and the educational system, leading to negative consequences on class quality and students’ learning outcomes.” Dr. Chris Balow, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, outlines five specific ways:
- Absenteeism: Teacher absenteeism reduces fourth-grade math achievement by 3.3% and disrupts team planning, affecting up to 25 students per classroom.
- Student performance: Minor differences in student performance can lower overall school results, impacting student recruitment and retention.
- Teacher attrition: Burnout leads to teacher attrition, causing 72 lost instructional days and student setbacks.
- Classroom management: Burnout leads to poor classroom management, resulting in student disruptions and elevated stress levels.
- High-poverty schools: High-poverty schools, with mostly students of color, have 50% higher teacher turnover, widening the achievement gap.
Addressing teacher burnout is crucial, as it directly impacts student learning by diminishing instruction quality and disrupting the classroom environment. By tackling teacher burnout, we can create a better learning environment for all students.
A virtual solution for K-12 recruitment and retention
To tackle the increasing problem of teacher burnout, schools must prioritize long-term mental health and well-being support. TimelyCare offers a range of features and benefits designed to help academic leaders recruit and retain educators.
1. Convenient 24/7 care
Teachers can connect with on-demand medical or mental health professionals through video or phone anytime, anywhere—evenings, weekends, or on the spot.
2. No cost, no copays
TimelyCare eliminates financial barriers by offering comprehensive health and well-being services without any out-of-pocket costs, copays, or traditional insurance requirements, especially valuable considering educators’ stagnant wages against inflation.
3. Reduced wait times
While scheduling an in-person mental health care appointment can take weeks or months, TimelyCare users can usually connect with an on-demand provider in under five minutes.
4. Diverse provider network
TimelyCare’s diverse and culturally responsive provider network proudly serves educators from all backgrounds. With over half of the mental health providers identifying as people of color, the platform also offers professionals who identify as LGBTQIA+ and speak multiple languages, with translation services available for over 240 languages. Users can meet with a specific provider or select the first available.
5. Peace of mind
TimelyCare is a secure, URAC-accredited, and HIPAA-compliant platform that ensures confidentiality and privacy for its users.
By providing these comprehensive support services, TimelyCare enables academic leaders to create a supportive and inclusive environment that prioritizes teacher well-being. This ultimately leads to higher teacher retention rates and improved overall school performance.
Contact TimelyCare to learn more about health and well-being support for K-12 teachers and staff.
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