Survey finds 'optimism gap' between teachers, administrators

Key points:

Administrators are more optimistic than teachers about the future of the teaching profession, student motivation and the role of ai in the classroom, according to first annual report Savvas Educator Index from the learning company Savvas.

Survey shows agreement among educators on solutions to close the optimism gap and improve student success.

The 2024 Savvas Educator Index is designed to understand educators' perspectives on key issues shaping K-12 education today. Their findings reflect insights from a national survey of more than 1,600 K-12 educators, including teachers and school and district administrators.

Key findings include:

More time for instruction and professional development can help close the educator satisfaction gap

While nearly twice as many school and district administrators are likely to recommend the teaching profession as teachers, educators are generally in agreement about resources to promote the profession.

• Early-career educators and those with more experience report greater satisfaction in their roles in education than mid-career educators. Educators with less than five years of experience (70 percent), 21 to 30 years of experience (67 percent), and more than 30 years of experience (72 percent) are more satisfied with their role in education than those with five to 10 years. of experience (58 percent) and 11 to 20 years of experience (62 percent).
• Educators agree on more resources, such as funding and staffing (87 percent of teachers and 90 percent of administrators), autonomy to do their jobs (79 percent of teachers and 72 percent of administrators), and more connectedness. strong with parents and caregivers (75 percent). of teachers and 87 percent of administrators) would positively impact their level of overall satisfaction with their role in education.
• For teachers, 80 percent would be more satisfied with their role if they could spend more time on classroom instruction and less time on classroom management. Eighty percent (80 percent) of teachers also indicated that smaller classes would improve their satisfaction. For managers, 73 percent reported that further professional development would affect their level of satisfaction.

Educators Agree on Pathways to Boost Student Success After Graduation

Educators reported that high school students' lack of motivation is a major barrier to student success after graduating from high school, but they agree that providing them with additional educational pathways can help prepare them for the future.

• High school teachers are 37 percent more likely than district administrators to identify student motivation as the most important barrier to students' success in college.
• Seventy percent (70 percent) of high school teachers also identify student motivation as the most important barrier preventing students from graduating high school and earning a living wage.
• Educators report that CTE programs (75 percent) and dual enrollment classes (68 percent) are the best options to help students succeed after high school.

ai Hesitancy Drives Need for Professional Development and Focus on Personalized Learning

While educators are divided on the usefulness of ai in the classroom, with most indicating that ai will be somewhat useful, the majority of educators surveyed believe that ai can better support student learning this school year by personalizing learning and providing valuable information.

• Eighty-one percent (81 percent) more district administrators than teachers say ai will be useful in the classroom within the next two years.
• Training affects educators' use of ai. For educators who were trained to use ai, three-quarters (74 percent) of them plan to use ai more this school year than last year. For those who did not receive training, less than half (46 percent) plan to use ai more this school year than last year.
• Educators envision ai supporting K-12 education over the next two school years by tracking student progress and providing data-driven insights for instructional planning (57 percent), followed by delivering personalized learning experiences (48 percent).

This press release originally appeared online.

eSchool Media staff covers educational technology in all its aspects, from legislation and litigation to best practices, lessons learned and new products. First published in March 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information needed to help K-20 decision makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and universities. and achieve their educational goals.

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