Teachers Online Research Full Report K-12

A recent look at K-12 teachers from OvationMR’s online panel study of American teachers

Market Research » Teachers Online Research Full Report K-12

American Teachers Really Like Their Jobs 

 

 

Teachers survey reveals: Unlike government, school leadership while government is seen as unsupportive.

 

In a recent K-12 Teacher online panel study American teachers generally report strong job satisfaction as 56% report liking their jobs a great deal and over 90% liking it a good amount.

 

online teacher like their job

 

 

How much do you like being a teacher? Total
A great deal 56%
A good amount 35%
Some 8%
Not very much 2%
Not all at all 0%

 

Women, older teachers, and urban teachers like being teachers somewhat more than their male, younger, and rural counterparts.

 

How much do you like being a teacher? % Saying a Great Deal
Men 48%
Women 57%
Urban 61%
Suburban 55%
Rural 48%

 

On balance more teachers like their job more now than they did three years ago. Teachers in affluent areas are more apt to like teaching more than they did three years ago.

 

Do you like teaching more, less or about the same as you did three years ago? Total Affluent Not so Affluent
More 34% 42% 30%
Less 25% 17% 29%
About the same 37% 34% 38%
Wasn’t teaching three years ago 5% 7% 3%

 

3 in 5 would recommend teaching to recent graduates.

 

To what extent would you recommend teaching as a profession to recent graduates? Total
Definitely would 30%
Probably would 30%
Might or might not 22%
Probably would not 12%
Definitely would not 6%

 

Teachers give outstanding marks to their students, but a majority also like their administration and district.

 

How much do you like each of the following? Your students Your administration Your district
A great deal 61% 30% 28%
A good amount 31% 36% 39%
Some 6% 20% 24%
Not very much 1% 11% 8%
Not all at all 0% 2% 2%

 

After their families who are generally seen to provide overwhelming support, teachers feel most supported by their administration in the form of their principal, vice-principals, and department leaders in addition to their students.

 

Government at every level is seen as providing weak support by an overwhelming number of teachers as fewer than 3 in 10 see federal, state and local government as providing excellent or very good support.

 

Parents lag behind administrators in providing support, but are no as bad as the various levels of government.

 

How would you rate the support you receive from each of the following to do your job effectively? Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor
Your family 56% 28% 13% 4% 0%
Your principal 38% 23% 20% 12% 8%
Your students 31% 34% 25% 8% 1%
Your department leader 30% 33% 26% 9% 3%
Your vice-principals 27% 29% 24% 14% 6%
The school superintendent 21% 23% 29% 19% 8%
Parents of children in your class(es) 16% 29% 33% 16% 6%
The Board of Education 13% 24% 31% 22% 10%
The local government 8% 19% 35% 26% 12%
The federal government 5% 13% 26% 30% 26%
The state government 5% 16% 30% 27% 22%

 

Teachers Are Most Concerned About Funding/Budget Cuts, Poverty & Standardized Testing

The top concerns that teachers have about their current situation are funding/budget cuts, standardized testing, poverty and bullying.

 

k-12 Teacher Concerns

 

 

Please state how much each of the following is a concern you currently have about your teaching situation. The top concern Major concern Moderate concern Minor concern Not at a concern
Funding/budget cuts 26% 36% 22% 10% 6%
Poverty 20% 29% 27% 16% 8%
Standardized testing 19% 34% 26% 13% 7%
Bullying 18% 30% 32% 15% 4%
Guns 16% 20% 21% 24% 19%
Class size 15% 26% 31% 19% 10%
Parental involvement 15% 35% 30% 13% 7%
Student health 15% 26% 33% 17% 10%
Violence 14% 22% 27% 26% 12%
Drug use 13% 21% 26% 19% 20%
Availability of supplies 12% 30% 30% 16% 11%
Teacher training 10% 22% 34% 19% 14%
School facility quality 8% 26% 35% 18% 13%
Availability of technology 8% 25% 31% 19% 17%
Extracurricular programs 8% 16% 34% 26% 16%

 

  • Nearly 4 in 5 teachers (79%) think that parents need to become more actively involved in their children’s education as more teachers disagree (44%) than agree (38%) that students arrive in their classroom academically prepared for their grade level.
  • 62% agree students should be more aggressively grouped to classes by their academic abilities.
  • 3 in 5 (60%) say that all students should be prepared to go to college.
  • Teachers are divided on whether students have too much homework. 33% agree and 37% disagree.
  • Teachers say both administrators and teachers need to do more to protect students from violence. 62% of teachers agree that administrators need to do more and 49% say they need to do more to protect students from violence

 

online teachers agree

 

  • Nearly 4 in 5 teachers (79%) think that parents need to become more actively involved in their children’s education as more teachers disagree (44%) than agree (38%) that students arrive in their classroom academically prepared for their grade level.
  • 62% agree students should be more aggressively grouped to classes by their academic abilities.
  • 3 in 5 (60%) say that all students should be prepared to go to college.
  • Teachers are divided on whether students have too much homework. 33% agree and 37% disagree.
  • Teachers say both administrators and teachers need to do more to protect students from violence. 62% of teachers agree that administrators need to do more and 49% say they need to do more to protect students from violence

 

 

Please state how much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Most parents need to become more actively involved in their children’s education 45% 34% 13% 5% 2%
All students should be prepared to go to college 33% 25% 21% 14% 8%
Administrators need to do more to protect students from violence at school 24% 38% 25% 9% 4%
Parents who complain typically get what they ask for 23% 35% 25% 13% 5%
Students from wealthier families get better treatment than those from less wealthy families 22% 33% 20% 14% 11%
Students should be more aggressively matched to classes by academic ability 21% 41% 23% 11% 4%
All students are treated equally 19% 31% 15% 26% 9%
Students are adequately academically challenged 17% 45% 21% 14% 3%
Your school district does everything it can to get students into the best colleges possible 15% 32% 29% 16% 7%
Teachers need to do more to protect students from violence at school 14% 35% 28% 16% 7%
Students currently are required to do too much homework 11% 22% 30% 23% 14%
Most students arrive in your classroom prepared academically prepared for their grade level 10% 28% 18% 26% 18%
           

 

Teachers Follow University Admissions Scandal Closely.

 

 

The Scandal Surprises Few Teachers 3 in 5 Teachers Believe At Least Some Parents in Their District Would Go to Such Lengths

 

An online research study shows the university admissions scandal is being followed closely by most teachers. Over 1 in 3 (35%) have heard a great deal about it, while only 16% have heard not very much or nothing at all about it.

 

Older teachers are more likely to have heard a great deal about the scandal than younger ones, while teachers teaching in affluent areas are less likely to have heard a great deal or good amount about it.

 

How much did you hear or read anything about the indictment of 50 people for their role in paying to get students into prestigious universities? Total Age Affluence
Under 30 30-39 40-49 50 or older Affluent Not so affluent
A great deal 35% 21% 34% 38% 45% 32% 36%
A good amount 28% 35% 28% 23% 26% 25% 30%
Some 21% 24% 19% 24% 20% 25% 20%
Not very much 11% 9% 13% 13% 7% 12% 11%
Nothing at all 5% 11% 5% 1% 2% 7% 4%
Online Research - OvationMR - Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved.

 

The story came as a surprise to less than 1 in 4 (22%) teachers.

Online Teachers Surprised

 

Does this story surprise you? Total Affluent Not so affluent
Yes 22% 32% 17%
No 78% 68% 83%

 

Online Research Reveals More Differences in Teachers of Affluent/NonAffluent Students

25% of teachers say about half or most parents in their district would go to such lengths to get their children into prestigious schools. A clear majority (59%) say at least some parents would go to such lengths. Teachers in affluent districts were more likely to say that parents in their districts would take such actions.

 

What proportion of parents in your district would be willing to go to such lengths to get their children to prestigious schools? Total Heard a Great Deal Surprised Not Surprised Affluent Not So Affluent
Most (>=60%) 9% 11% 14% 8% 17% 5%
About half (40-59%) 16% 18% 26% 13% 22% 13%
Some (10-39%) 34% 34% 29% 35% 36% 33%
A few (Less than 10%) 34% 30% 26% 36% 22% 40%
None 7% 7% 4% 8% 3% 9%
Online Research - OvationMR - Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved.

3 in 4 Teacher Consider Themselves Underpaid, A 20% Raise Would Likely Be Adequate

 

The median teacher makes between $50,000 & $60,000 per year. 70% of all teachers make between $30,000 and $70,000 or year. Older teachers have higher salaries due to their longer tenure and experience. Rural teachers tend to have lower salaries than their urban and suburban counterparts.

 

Into which category does your annual teaching salary fall into? Total Under 30 30-39 40-49 50 or older Urban Suburban Rural
Under $20,000 1% 0% 2% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0%
$20,000 to $29,999 4% 13% 4% 1% 0% 2% 5% 5%
$30,000 to $39,999 15% 26% 16% 9% 10% 14% 12% 25%
$40,000 to $49,999 21% 23% 25% 21% 15% 21% 20% 26%
$50,000 to $59,999 21% 20% 19% 24% 21% 24% 20% 18%
$60,000 to $69,999 14% 9% 17% 12% 16% 12% 17% 10%
$70,000 to $79,999 8% 3% 8% 10% 9% 7% 8% 8%
$80,000 to $89,999 6% 3% 4% 12% 7% 9% 6% 1%
$90,000 or more 8% 3% 4% 10% 16% 7% 9% 5%
Would rather not say 2% 3% 1% 1% 5% 2% 3% 1%

 

Just over 3 in 4 teachers consider themselves to be underpaid.

 

Despite receiving higher salaries than their younger proteges, older teachers are disproportionately likely to think they are underpaid.

 

Rural teachers, who generally receive lower salaries are more apt to think they are underpaid.

 

Additionally, teachers who predominantly teach students from less affluent families are also more likely to think they are underpaid.

 

For your teaching work, do you consider yourself to be… Total Under 30 30-39 40-49 50 or older Urban Suburban Rural Affluent Not so affluent
Strongly underpaid 33% 26% 28% 39% 42% 33% 30% 39% 25% 37%
Somewhat underpaid 43% 44% 53% 39% 29% 44% 44% 43% 43% 43%
Fairly paid 21% 26% 16% 20% 29% 19% 24% 17% 27% 19%
Somewhat overpaid 2% 4% 2% 1% 0% 4% 0% 1% 3% 1%
Strongly overpaid 1% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 2% 0%

 

The median percentage raise underpaid teachers said they needed to get to be paid adequately was 20 percent. The media was slightly lower, 15%, for better compensated groups of teachers including teachers 50 and over, suburban teachers and those who primarily teach students from affluent families.

 

IF UNDERPAID: What percentage raise would you have to get in order for you to be paid adequately?
Median: 20%

 

Teachers, despite being underpaid, typically spend $300 of their own money on school supplies, signaling their dedication to their students.

 

How much of your own money do you spend on supplies for your students every year?
Median: $300

 

The majority (62%) who spend their own money on supplies do take advantage of the tax deduction for them, but another 38% do not.

 

Do you deduct these expenses from your taxes? Teachers Who Buy Supplies
Yes 62%
No 38%

 

Majority of US school shootings are perpetrated by members of the school community**. Still most K-12 teachers believe threats come from outsiders an online teacher study reveals.

 

The online research study found most teachers (62%) see outsiders as a bigger safety threat than members of the school community.

online teachers aware

Bar 

 

   
Outsiders 62%
Members of the school community 38%

 

A majority of teachers (56%) have a minor police presence at their school.

 

How would you characterize the police presence in your school? Total
Major presence 18%
Minor presence 56%
No presence 26%
 

Over 7 in 10 teachers think it is appropriate for police to be armed with guns at school. Private school teachers were somewhat less likely to welcome armed police including support for 2 in 3 teachers who identify as Democrats according to this online teacher panel study.

Support for armed police is lower at private schools.

 

Total
Party ID
School Type

Republican
Independent
Public
Private

71%
69%
80%
66%
74%
50%

29%
31%
20%
34%
26%
50%

 

Do you think it is appropriate to have police armed with guns at your school?
Democrat Yes No

 

 

 

In contrast to armed police, only roughly 1 in 4 (26%) teachers think it’s appropriate for some well-trained teachers to carry guns at school.  This issue divides across typical political and regional lines with Republicans and rural teachers more apt to support such a policy.

 

Do you think it is appropriate for some well-trained teachers to carry guns in your school? Total Party ID Region
Democrat Republican Independent Urban Suburban Rural
Yes 26% 17% 44% 23% 24% 24% 36%
No 74% 83% 56% 77% 76% 76% 64%
 

 

Sadly, 3 in 4 teachers report their schools participate in active shooter drills in the aftermath of such school shootings in Columbine, CO and Parkland, FL.

 

Does your school participate in active shooter drills? Total
Yes 76%
No 24%

 

Bart Borkosky is Chief Research Officer at OvationMR and is responsible for Research Design and Online Sample Data Quality. He also consults with clients on sampling design for various types of online research campaigns and political polling. Bart can be reached at bart.borkosky@ovationmr.com

To learn more about OvationMR Online Teacher Panel solutions or our other Online Sampling and our online methodology for ensuring your success you can visit Panel Quality & Recruitment or Download 2021 PanelBook and/or contact us at info@ovationmr.com

** Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense K-12 schools shooting database