2023: A Year in Review
Date Posted: 1/22/2024
In 2023, educators faced all kinds of issues. Using data from the Education Week Research Center, we’ve taken a look back at how teachers perceived the effect they had on the teaching profession. The research center’s surveys investigate job satisfaction, mental health, artificial intelligence, science of reading, district response to retention issues, school shootings, and more. These were all major education issues in Texas, where school funding was the focus of multiple special sessions.
Teacher Job Satisfaction
According to an EdWeek Research Center and Merrimack College Teacher survey, 20% of teachers reported being “very satisfied” with their jobs. Last year, that number was only 12%, which represents significant growth in job satisfaction.
Educator Mental Health
The next data point compares the mental well-being of teachers to other working adults during spring 2023. The RAND Corp. surveyed respondents on the following mental health indicators:
Student Mental Health
The third data point investigates how student mental health issues affect the classroom. In a study by Merrimack College and EdWeek Research Center, 57% of teachers reported academic learning is negatively impacted by student mental health issues, 55% reported social-emotional learning is negatively impacted, and 53% reported classroom management is negatively impacted.
Mental health across the board has become a critical issue. According to a survey conducted by Teachers Pay Teachers in 2022, 65% of teachers say respect for teachers has lessened since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This loss of respect, combined with 59% of teachers citing restrictions on curriculum as a cause for teachers’ leaving the profession, plays into the mental health of teachers. While pay for educators has been in the limelight, especially in Texas, mental health is also an issue that coincides with the educator exodus.
Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic set back students in several ways, and the EdWeek Research Center examined how long it would be before students could catch up academically. Forty-five percent of teachers reported feeling somewhat confident that students will be able to reach grade-level proficiency by the end of the 2023-24 school year, and only 22% reported feeling very confident.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence was one of the biggest news stories last year, and according to the EdWeek Research Center, 62% of educators reported teaching students how to use AI responsibly and effectively in academic settings to be the most useful AI-related professional development topic. Meanwhile, 57% reported wanting a basic introduction to AI, and 54% reported wanting ways to detect improper AI use by students.
During the summer of 2023, school districts responded to the growing use of AI in different ways. Many school districts across the country opted to block access to artificial intelligence, and many school districts did not take a stance during that time. Some school districts, such as Eanes ISD, were researching ways to prevent AI cheating.
Science of Reading
Science of reading was also a topic discussed last year. According to the EdWeek Research Center, educators are split on how to define science of reading. Thirty-seven percent reported that it means general approaches, methods, and processes for teaching reading or learning to read, and 31% reported that it means research, data, or evidence-based approach to reading.
Math
When it comes to math, opinions on what educators use to teach the subject differ between K-12 educators and postsecondary educators. K-12 educators were asked what resources they regularly use to teach math, and postsecondary educators were asked what types of instructional resources should K-12 educators use for math. A survey by EdWeek Research Center found that:
Retention
Teacher retention continued to challenge districts in 2023. According to the EdWeek Research Center, salary increases are districts’ primary retention strategy, with 79% of districts reporting compensation increases.
According to KXAN, Del Valle ISD was amongst the school districts with the highest raise in starting salaries for teachers. The district raised the starting salary from $54,000 to $58,000, a 7.4% increase. Some school districts, such as Coupland ISD, had no increase between 2022-23 and 2023-24, according to the KXAN map.
School Safety
School safety was also a big concern. According to Education Week, there were 37 school shootings in 2023 compared with 51 in 2022. According to the Education Week survey, 66% of teachers stated they feel safe at work along with 83% of principals and 88% of district leaders. Texas lawmakers sought to improve school safety by passing House Bill (HB) 3, which requires an armed security officer on every campus during school hours. However, school districts are having challenges securing enough funding to make this happen.
According to KXAN, Leander ISD was amongst those school districts that could not meet the September deadline for having an armed security officer on every campus due to lack of funding. However, Leander ISD would later work to establish its own police department as a way to meet the requirements of the law, according to Community Impact.
Parental Rights
Parental rights in education was the last topic EdWeek investigated for 2023, and EdWeek asked teachers which topics they have received concerns about from parents:
That is the CliffsNotes version of EdWeek’s recap of 2023, and it highlights the many issues educators are facing going into 2024. Mental health, job satisfaction, AI, retention, school safety, and parental rights all look to remain the primary issues in education for this year. These issues will likely be expanded as 2024 is an election year, so it is important to register to vote and go to TeachtheVote.org to make sure you are up to date on candidates and issues when you head to the polls for both the primary and general election.
ATPE has covered most of these issues through blogs on both the ATPE website and Teach the Vote, as well as answered several questions on these issues on our website in the Legal Resources section, through the ATPE Podcast, and through webinars. Here is a quick list of helpful links that covers several issues mentioned in this blog:
ATPE Blog:
• Straightforward Advice for Parents and Teachers-Be Kind, Always, to Everyone
• Embracing the Dark Side: The Perils of Toxic Positivity in Schools
ATPE Website:
• Educator Resignations and Requests for Contract Release
The ATPE Podcast:
• The Great (Teacher) Resignation
• After Four Special Sessions, Are We Out of the Woods Yet?
ATPE News Magazine:
• ChatGPT: Artificial Intelligence's Impact on Education
• Educator Shortages Across Texas: Who Is Driving This Bus?
• Classroom Inclusion: Making Students Feel Welcome
• Investing in the Future: A Winning Strategy for Mentoring and Retaining Quality Teachers
• Culture Wars Besiege Public Schools: Is There an Underlying Motive for All of the Finger-Pointing?
• The Writing on the Wall: Reflections on Uvalde and a Growing Mental Health Crisis in Our Schools
Teacher Job Satisfaction
According to an EdWeek Research Center and Merrimack College Teacher survey, 20% of teachers reported being “very satisfied” with their jobs. Last year, that number was only 12%, which represents significant growth in job satisfaction.
Educator Mental HealthThe next data point compares the mental well-being of teachers to other working adults during spring 2023. The RAND Corp. surveyed respondents on the following mental health indicators:
- Lack of resilience
- Percentage of teachers reporting: 27%
- Percentage of working adults reporting: 18%
- Burnout
- Teachers: 56%
- Working adults: 45%
- Symptoms of depression
- Teachers: 19%
- Working adults: 20%
- Difficulty coping with job-related stress
- Teachers: 17%
- Working adults: 9%
- Frequent job-related stress
- Teachers: 58%
- Working adults: 33%
Student Mental HealthThe third data point investigates how student mental health issues affect the classroom. In a study by Merrimack College and EdWeek Research Center, 57% of teachers reported academic learning is negatively impacted by student mental health issues, 55% reported social-emotional learning is negatively impacted, and 53% reported classroom management is negatively impacted.
Mental health across the board has become a critical issue. According to a survey conducted by Teachers Pay Teachers in 2022, 65% of teachers say respect for teachers has lessened since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This loss of respect, combined with 59% of teachers citing restrictions on curriculum as a cause for teachers’ leaving the profession, plays into the mental health of teachers. While pay for educators has been in the limelight, especially in Texas, mental health is also an issue that coincides with the educator exodus.
Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic set back students in several ways, and the EdWeek Research Center examined how long it would be before students could catch up academically. Forty-five percent of teachers reported feeling somewhat confident that students will be able to reach grade-level proficiency by the end of the 2023-24 school year, and only 22% reported feeling very confident.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence was one of the biggest news stories last year, and according to the EdWeek Research Center, 62% of educators reported teaching students how to use AI responsibly and effectively in academic settings to be the most useful AI-related professional development topic. Meanwhile, 57% reported wanting a basic introduction to AI, and 54% reported wanting ways to detect improper AI use by students.
During the summer of 2023, school districts responded to the growing use of AI in different ways. Many school districts across the country opted to block access to artificial intelligence, and many school districts did not take a stance during that time. Some school districts, such as Eanes ISD, were researching ways to prevent AI cheating.
Science of Reading
Science of reading was also a topic discussed last year. According to the EdWeek Research Center, educators are split on how to define science of reading. Thirty-seven percent reported that it means general approaches, methods, and processes for teaching reading or learning to read, and 31% reported that it means research, data, or evidence-based approach to reading.
Math
When it comes to math, opinions on what educators use to teach the subject differ between K-12 educators and postsecondary educators. K-12 educators were asked what resources they regularly use to teach math, and postsecondary educators were asked what types of instructional resources should K-12 educators use for math. A survey by EdWeek Research Center found that:
- Math games
- K-12 Educators: 56%
- Postsecondary Educators: 85%
- Curriculum/materials created by district curriculum specialists
- K-12 Educators: 40%
- Postsecondary Educators: 69%
- Math apps
- K-12 Educators: 48%
- Postsecondary Educators: 68%
- Free materials from online/lesson-sharing websites
- K-12 Educators: 67%
- Postsecondary Educators: 66%
- Curriculum/materials teachers create from scratch.
- K-12 Educators: 56%
- Postsecondary Educators: 66%
- Supplemental resources purchased by the district or school
- K-12 Educators: 41%
- Postsecondary Educators: 66%
- One or more core textbooks required by the district or school
- K-12 Educators: 46%
- Postsecondary Educators: 62%
- One or more core textbooks not required by the district or school
- K-12 Educators: 15%
- Postsecondary Educators: 27%
- Supplemental resources teachers purchase themselves
- K-12 Educators: 51%
- Postsecondary Educators: 26%
RetentionTeacher retention continued to challenge districts in 2023. According to the EdWeek Research Center, salary increases are districts’ primary retention strategy, with 79% of districts reporting compensation increases.
According to KXAN, Del Valle ISD was amongst the school districts with the highest raise in starting salaries for teachers. The district raised the starting salary from $54,000 to $58,000, a 7.4% increase. Some school districts, such as Coupland ISD, had no increase between 2022-23 and 2023-24, according to the KXAN map.
School Safety
School safety was also a big concern. According to Education Week, there were 37 school shootings in 2023 compared with 51 in 2022. According to the Education Week survey, 66% of teachers stated they feel safe at work along with 83% of principals and 88% of district leaders. Texas lawmakers sought to improve school safety by passing House Bill (HB) 3, which requires an armed security officer on every campus during school hours. However, school districts are having challenges securing enough funding to make this happen.
According to KXAN, Leander ISD was amongst those school districts that could not meet the September deadline for having an armed security officer on every campus due to lack of funding. However, Leander ISD would later work to establish its own police department as a way to meet the requirements of the law, according to Community Impact.
Parental Rights
Parental rights in education was the last topic EdWeek investigated for 2023, and EdWeek asked teachers which topics they have received concerns about from parents:
- LGBTQ+ issues/sexual orientation: 58%
- Gender: 38%
- Diversity, equity, and/or inclusion: 34%
- Sex ed: 32%
- Social emotional learning: 28%
- Contemporary issues related to race/racism: 25%
- History of race/racism: 25%
- Politics: 21%
- Other: 16%
- Guns/gun policy: 12%
That is the CliffsNotes version of EdWeek’s recap of 2023, and it highlights the many issues educators are facing going into 2024. Mental health, job satisfaction, AI, retention, school safety, and parental rights all look to remain the primary issues in education for this year. These issues will likely be expanded as 2024 is an election year, so it is important to register to vote and go to TeachtheVote.org to make sure you are up to date on candidates and issues when you head to the polls for both the primary and general election.ATPE has covered most of these issues through blogs on both the ATPE website and Teach the Vote, as well as answered several questions on these issues on our website in the Legal Resources section, through the ATPE Podcast, and through webinars. Here is a quick list of helpful links that covers several issues mentioned in this blog:
ATPE Blog:
• Straightforward Advice for Parents and Teachers-Be Kind, Always, to Everyone
• Embracing the Dark Side: The Perils of Toxic Positivity in Schools
ATPE Website:
• Educator Resignations and Requests for Contract Release
The ATPE Podcast:
• The Great (Teacher) Resignation
• After Four Special Sessions, Are We Out of the Woods Yet?
ATPE News Magazine:
• ChatGPT: Artificial Intelligence's Impact on Education
• Educator Shortages Across Texas: Who Is Driving This Bus?
• Classroom Inclusion: Making Students Feel Welcome
• Investing in the Future: A Winning Strategy for Mentoring and Retaining Quality Teachers
• Culture Wars Besiege Public Schools: Is There an Underlying Motive for All of the Finger-Pointing?
• The Writing on the Wall: Reflections on Uvalde and a Growing Mental Health Crisis in Our Schools