Following this post, Chalkbeat heard from 80 educators who quit teaching last school year. Read their words on why they quit and what could have kept them in the classroom here.
Teaching, like many professions, has undergone significant shifts during the pandemic.
To better understand this new reality for teachers, Chalkbeat is looking to speak with people across the country who quit teaching — or have given notice — during the 2021-22 school year.
Did you leave the classroom this year? We’d love to hear your story.
To be clear, we don’t want to overstate what the data on teachers leaving the profession shows. As Chalkbeat reported in February, “claims of a coming — or ongoing — teacher exodus warrant considerable skepticism. That’s both because we don’t yet have data to support strong assertions and because recent history suggests that an exodus is unlikely.”
But recent surveys and polls offer hints that more teachers have considered leaving the field. New data from Texas, South Carolina, Philadelphia, and Clark County, Nevada, show a jump in teachers leaving in the middle of the school year. A 2021 poll of the nation’s largest teachers union found that 55% of its members reported an increased likelihood that they would quit teaching earlier than expected. And stories of teachers who’ve recently quit are increasingly common on social media platforms.
Are you a new teacher or a soon-to-be teacher? Don’t worry — we also want to talk with you. Be on the lookout for another callout in the coming months.
We know this is a delicate and complicated topic. Please note that this form is confidential and nothing shared in the form will be published without a Chalkbeat journalist reaching out to you and getting your consent.
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Eba Hamid-Rivera is Chalkbeat’s first-ever director of audience. They have more than 15 years of experience as a journalist, news editor, and digital strategist. Connect with Eba at ehamid-rivera@chalkbeat.org
Caroline Bauman connects Chalkbeat journalists with our readers as the community engagement manager and previously reported at Chalkbeat Tennessee. Connect with Caroline at cbauman@chalkbeat.org.
