More than three-fourths of Texas teachers say they have seriously considered quitting the profession largely because of a perceived lack of respect and support, according to a new survey by the Charles Butt Foundation. Excessive workload and inadequate pay were other major reasons that teachers are considering leaving, The Dallas Morning News and other media outlets reported.
The percentage of teachers considering quitting has risen to 77 percent this year from 58 percent in 2020, when the foundation conducted the first survey on the subject.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas has experienced a teacher shortage that prompted the Texas Education Agency to form a task force to address the issue. No official findings have been released.
The statewide survey included 1,291 public school teachers drawn randomly from TEA’s 2020 roster of teachers. Among those teachers who seriously thought about leaving the profession, 68 percent updated their resumes, while about one-third applied for another job.
“This isn’t just teachers not feeling satisfied,” research associate Victoria Wang told The Morning News. “They’re actively taking steps to leave the classroom.”
The foundation is named for the CEO of H-E-B, the largest privately held employer in Texas. Its goal is “pursuing a more equitable and prosperous future for all Texans,” according to its website.
Drought conditions
Welcome rains across the state have eased drought conditions, with 62.3 percent of the state in moderate to severe drought, affecting about a third of the state’s population, according to drought.gov. That is down from the end of June, when drought conditions covered 86 percent of the state.
Most of East Texas and South Texas and the El Paso area are no longer experiencing drought. Severe drought remains prevalent around the San Antonio and Midland-Odessa areas and eastward to the Abilene region.
