AUSTIN, Texas – A survey of educators conducted by the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) found that 65% of members considered quitting their jobs after school ended last spring.
The study is conducted every two years, and although this year’s percentage was below the record 70% set two years ago, the association said in a press release that the study shows that “teacher dissatisfaction with the political climate surrounding public education in Texas remains critical.”
TSTA President Ovidia Molina said it was unclear how many of those surveyed ultimately left because the survey was anonymous.
“I fear many of them have already left the classroom or will soon leave it if our state leaders do not start supporting public education and teachers and stop politically attacking schools,” Molina said in a press release. “Governor Greg Abbott and his allies in the legislature have spent several years undermining teacher morale and reputation through inadequate school funding, proposed book bans, attacks on diversity in the classroom and laws that impose political restrictions on what teachers can teach.”
Public education has been in the spotlight in Texas as Abbott and some Republicans in the state legislature have pushed for an education voucher program. Abbott’s plan did not receive enough support in the last special session, but he told Spectrum News in April he was more confident than ever that he would pass an education voucher program for private schools next year.
Abbott and other voucher advocates argue that they are a necessary option for students who struggle in the public school system.
Funding for public schools has been stagnant since the 2019-2020 school year, and plans to increase that funding were tied to the voucher bill that failed in the Texas House of Representatives.
Democrats and teachers’ associations, including TSTA, are fighting the voucher program because it uses state funds to pay tuition at private schools.
According to the TSTA survey, its members earned slightly more than the average teacher salary in Texas, but were more than $9,000 below the national average.
About 33% of teachers surveyed said they took on additional jobs over the summer to make ends meet. They reported spending an average of $856 out of pocket on school supplies and $405 per month on health insurance.
