Teacher Burnout Top Concern Among Fellow Educators

A national survey conducted during summer 2022 by research-based literacy company Lexia Learning found that the majority of educators (71%) are worried about teacher burnout during the 2022-2023 school year, even though most (66%) are optimistic about the new year.

The survey was sent to a random sample of 20,000 Lexia users who logged into myLexia during the six months prior. Results showed that 75% of educators feel that more one-on-one time would help their students, and more than half feel their students need specialist help such as special ed teachers, subject-matter tutors and school psychologists. While more than half are concerned about teacher shortages (52%), even more (66%) are worried about the availability of non-teacher staff support: custodians, bus drivers, teachers’ aids, substitute teachers, etc., and whether their schools have the resources to pay for them.

A national survey conducted in January by the National Education Association (NEA) bears up these concerns, with 90% of NEA members worried that an alarming number of educators will quit their profession earlier than planned, an exodus fueled by the pandemic. A high percentage of these are already underrepresented Black and Hispanic/Latino educators, the NEA survey found.

As for solutions to the problem, a huge majority of Lexia respondents (83%) believe that more teachers would stay for higher pay, and 71% for smaller class sizes. Only 55% feel that schools have been compensating teachers fairly. While most educators overall feel their schools have done a good job investing in pandemic-induced distance learning with digital tools and classroom technology, an overwhelming 81% worry their students will fall behind if remote learning is reinstated, with 76% concerned that students’ social-emotional health will suffer.

Go here to read more of the Lexia survey results, and here to read more about the NEA survey.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.

  • tutor and student working together at a laptop

    You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

    As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.