By Jasmin Shaheed-Young
Indiana Business Journal
Among all factors within schools’ purview, teachers play the most critical role in elevating student success. We must do everything possible to uplift and support talented educators so we can retain them in the classroom.
With these beliefs, Rise Indy, in partnership with MelanatED Leaders and Teach Indy, surveyed 575 teachers across Marion County to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face and recommend changes to address their needs.
These results provide encouraging evidence that Marion County teacher satisfaction—at 65%—is higher than typically portrayed in national and local narratives. Our findings also uncovered key areas for improvement that should be prioritized.
◗ Younger teachers are less satisfied with teaching than their older peers. Among teachers 34 and younger, the job satisfaction rate is nine points lower—at 56%—than the overall teacher satisfaction rate of 65%.
◗ Teachers perceive a lack of respect for their profession, with 73% of respondents believing society does not value or respect teaching.
◗ Most teachers—57%—say they’re underpaid for their work. This belief is especially acute among teachers 34 and under.
◗ Only 13% of teachers think recent policy changes have made them feel more secure in their teaching careers.
These findings demonstrate the need for change and show that—with strategic action and collaboration at the state and local level, from policymakers, schools and supportive organizations—the challenges teachers face can be addressed.
What’s especially encouraging is that the public believes this should be a priority. A recent poll by PDK International says that 81% of Americans agree that the next U.S. president should focus on teacher attraction and retention, and 84% agree that they should focus on preparing students for the workforce.
To achieve this change, our report recommends:
◗ Increasing teachers’ take-home pay. School districts have increased compensation in recent years, but most of the funds have gone toward teachers’ health care benefits and pensions.
◗ Strengthening benefits that enhance work-life balance and providing financial incentives, such as travel/sabbatical programs and stipends for child care. These changes can be implemented at the local level to encourage teachers to work in urban schools.
◗ Establishing district-level cabinets of teachers who can share their classroom expertise with leadership and work alongside districts on state policy ideas. These critical efforts would infuse teachers’ experiences into policy discussions and improve teachers’ perception of policy changes.
◗ Creating professional development and mentoring programs for all teachers, especially younger educators with lower job satisfaction and who need additional support. Districts and schools can partner with community-based organizations on these efforts.
◗ Launching public awareness campaigns to celebrate and elevate teachers and counter their perceptions about society’s lack of respect for them.
There’s no time to waste in implementing these changes, given the urgent need to improve student outcomes. Based on 2024 results, seven in 10 Marion County students read below grade level, and only 21% scored proficient in math and English on the state’s ILEARN exam. Our ability to improve these dismal outcomes is only as strong as our willingness to elevate teachers. All of us can make a difference by thanking teachers for their hard work—and advocating for larger change to ensure their profession is uplifted on a larger scale.•
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Shaheed-Young is founder and CEO of Rise Indy. Patrick Jones, founder and executive director of MelanatED Leaders, and Sara Marshall, executive director of Teach Indy, contributed.
