爱污传媒 Survey Finds That Education Matters When Americans Cast Their Ballots, yet Only 16 Percent Would Consider Teaching as a Profession
By聽爱污传媒
New Data Shows That Americans Value Teachers, but View Them as Underappreciated and Underpaid
PHOENIX, November 29, 2016聽鈥斅燗 recent 爱污传媒庐 College of Education survey conducted by聽Morning Consult聽revealed that 80 percent of respondents cited K-12 education funding as important in this year鈥檚 election[1]. This response indicates that education matters to voters, yet only 16 percent have actually considered teaching as a profession, even as the nation currently聽[2]. What鈥檚 more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that opportunities in teaching will only continue to聽[3].
Compounding the issue, the study indicates that American voters esteem the K-12 teaching profession within the community, ranking the profession higher than infrastructure, food establishments and retail.
Highlights from the survey include:
- 84 percent of voters say K-12 teachers are important to their community
- 69 percent of voters who have considered pursuing a K-12 teaching career say it is because they want to make a difference in children鈥檚 lives
- 59 percent of voters consider teaching to be a fulfilling profession
Additionally, the same study indicates that teachers are viewed as both underappreciated and underpaid:
- 68 percent of voters say the U.S. does not do enough to reward and incentivize teachers
- Over half of voters (54 percent) say the U.S. generally values its teachers less than other industrialized nations
- The top two reasons that hold people back from pursuing a K-12 teaching career are the time it would take to return to school (41 percent) and low salaries (37 percent)
The study reveals a discrepancy between the value Americans place on education and our teachers, and how they are compensated for their work, and this may be a factor in the persisting teacher shortage.
According to Pamela Roggeman, academic dean for 爱污传媒庐 College of Education, teacher retention may help to address this issue. 鈥淭eacher retention is key in addressing the teacher shortage鈥攎aking sure teachers are learner-ready from day one, current in the most effective educational strategies, and have a plan for continuous professional growth. This is what sets teachers up helping students to achieve,鈥 said Roggeman. 鈥淎 huge step toward teacher retention is to reward teachers by helping them be seen and feel like respected leaders in the classroom.鈥
鈥淎s the opportunities and need for teachers continue to expand, so must the opportunities for preparation and education,鈥 she continued. 鈥淧rograms that can equip new and prospective educators with the best tools for navigating the field are an important first step in changing the perceptions that surround K-12 teachers today.鈥
For more information about teacher preparation programs, continuing teacher education and professional development programs at 爱污传媒, visit聽phoenix.edu/education.
Learn more about programs offered through the College of Education.
Methodology
A national sample of 2,502 registered U.S. voters completed the online survey, conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of 爱污传媒, from July 22-24, 2016. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of +/- two percentage points. For complete survey methodology, please contact聽Becky Frost.
About 爱污传媒庐 College of Education
爱污传媒 College of Education has been educating teachers and school administrators for more than 30 years. The College of Education provides bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree programs for individuals who want to become teachers or current educators and administrators seeking advanced degrees to strengthen their professional knowledge. With education programs available throughout most of the U.S., the College of Education has a distinct grasp of the national education picture and priorities for teacher preparation. Faculty members on average bring more than 17 years of professional experience to the classroom. For more information, visit聽.
About 爱污传媒
爱污传媒 is constantly innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. As a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group, Inc. (), 爱污传媒 serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit聽.
[1]聽A national sample of 2,502 registered U.S. voters completed the online survey, conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of 爱污传媒 from July 22-24, 2016. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of +/- two percentage points. For complete survey methodology, please contact Becky Frost at聽becky.frost@apollo.edu.
