“Two-Thirds of K-12 Teachers Satisfied With Their Workplace”

by Stephanie Marken and Zach Hrynowski

Gallup Poll

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/642726/two-thirds-teachers-satisfied-w...

In their April 29, 2025 article for Gallup, Stephanie Marken and Zach Hrynowski present key findings from the Walton Family Foundation-Gallup Teaching for Tomorrow survey, shedding light on workplace satisfaction among K–12 public school teachers in the United States. The report captures both encouraging signs and areas of concern for the teaching profession, particularly in regard to pay, workload, and professional engagement.

Overall Satisfaction: A Mixed Picture

The survey, conducted in late 2024 with nearly 2,000 U.S. public school teachers, found that two-thirds of educators are satisfied with their workplace, including 22% who are “extremely” satisfied. While these results suggest that a majority of teachers feel positive about their roles, satisfaction levels remain well below those in other sectors. For example, 34% of employees across other industries report being extremely satisfied, compared to just 22% of teachers—a 12-point gap.

District Wealth and Satisfaction

Notably, the study finds significant disparities in satisfaction based on district wealth. Teachers working in wealthier districts—measured by a lower percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL)—report higher levels of satisfaction than those in lower-income districts. This underscores long-standing concerns about inequitable working conditions, resource availability, and support for teachers across socioeconomic contexts.

Retention Concerns: One in Five May Leave

Despite overall positive ratings, teacher retention remains a major concern. Around one in five teachers reported that they either do not plan to return to the classroom next year (5%) or are uncertain (13%). This uncertainty is particularly pronounced among teachers in less wealthy districts and among Black educators, who expressed greater doubt about their future in the profession compared to their Hispanic and White counterparts.

Key Drivers of Satisfaction: Opportunity, Pay, and Workload

The survey highlights three primary drivers of teacher satisfaction: the opportunity to do what they do best, fair compensation, and manageable workload. Among teachers who feel they have the opportunity to fully utilize their strengths, 82% report overall satisfaction. In contrast, only 31% of those who don’t feel this sense of alignment are satisfied with their workplace.

Similarly, satisfaction is strongly correlated with compensation and workload. Among those content with their pay, 76% are satisfied with their jobs. Likewise, 85% of those happy with their workload report overall satisfaction. Conversely, satisfaction drops to 59% for those dissatisfied with pay and to 56% for those unhappy with workload.

Implications for Student Engagement

The report concludes with a reminder that teacher satisfaction is closely tied to student success. Engaged, supported teachers are better equipped to foster environments that ignite student motivation and confidence. Prior Gallup research has shown that students’ excitement about learning is often directly linked to their experience with an inspiring teacher.

To improve both retention and instructional effectiveness, the authors argue that schools must ensure teachers have the autonomy, resources, and support needed to thrive. Doing so will not only improve teacher morale but will also help create classroom cultures where students are more likely to flourish.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com