Press Releases

Committee for Children Addresses Teacher Burnout with Re-Launch of Sought-After Video Campaign

SEATTLE, WASH. – November 28, 2023 – Educator burnout is at an all-time high. In fact, according to the 2022 Gallup Panel Workforce Study, K–12 workers have the highest burnout rate of all industries in the United States. As a result of teacher burnout, an increasing number of educators are leaving the profession, and school districts in the U.S. are struggling to maintain adequately staffed schools. A 2022 study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that 44 percent of public schools across the nation report being understaffed. Moreover, the study also found that for public schools that reported having either a teaching or staff vacancy, over 50 percent of vacancies were due to resignation. To cover staffing vacancies, over half of these schools reported the increased need to use school staff outside of their intended duties.

In response to the education crisis, global nonprofit and leader in social-emotional education Committee for Children announces the relaunch of its in-demand research-based video campaign, A Psychologist’s Guide to Winter Well-Being. Tailored to educators, the sought-after video series was developed by a team of psychologists and researchers and is embedded with social-emotional tips and strategies from the organization’s Second Step® SEL for Adults program. The videos provide educators with the support needed to mitigate burnout by helping them to manage a positive emotional baseline. Committee for Children, the go-to experts in social-emotional learning, is a leading voice in providing solutions that support the well-being of educators.

“Nurturing the well-being of our educators is a key priority,” says Dr. Tia Kim, a developmental psychologist and educator well-being expert and VP of Education, Research, and Impact at Committee for Children. “One of our primary goals is to provide support to educators to manage chronic burnout and stress. While educators often can’t choose the sources of stress outside of their immediate control, the day-to-day activities we recommend will help them navigate their emotional management, which can have a direct impact on how they manage their mental wellness. When educators thrive, their students thrive. If our educators are not at their best, how can they support our children?”

The new data in the NCES study shows that the challenges of hiring educators in general elementary and special education teaching positions in comparison to the prior school year was a continued obstacle for educational institutions. Two-thirds of these schools cited their greatest challenge in teacher recruitment as a scarcity of qualified candidates. This sheds light on the critical issues that the education sector faces in terms of staffing and highlights the urgency of addressing the shortage of well-qualified educators.

Social-emotional learning is a process that helps humans communicate effectively, connect with others, and make those all-important decisions for their future. All the Winter Well-Being videos are available at https://www.cfchildren.org/resources/winter-well-being/.

 

About Committee for Children

Committee for Children is a global nonprofit on a mission to ensure that children everywhere can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Committee for Children has been working in partnership with educators and families for more than 40 years. Visit cfchildren.org to learn more.

Media Contact

Keyonda Goosby, keyonda.goosby@cfchildren.org