Teaching Profession News in Brief

Most People Don’t Want Their Children to Become Teachers, Poll Reveals

By Madeline Will — September 04, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A growing number of people don’t want their children going into teaching, a new national survey finds.

The PDK International poll on education, released last week, surveyed a nationwide random sample of 1,042 adults, including an oversampling of 515 parents of school-age children.

Most respondents, 61 percent, said they have trust and confidence in public school teachers, up from 51 percent in 2015. But just over half said they would not want their child to become a teacher. That’s an 11 percentage-point increase from the last time that question was asked in 2014. They cited inadequate pay and benefits, student behavior and a lack of discipline, and the public view that teaching was a thankless job that isn’t respected or valued in society.

A version of this article appeared in the September 05, 2018 edition of Education Week as Most People Don’t Want Their Children to Become Teachers, Poll Reveals

Events

School Climate & Safety K-12 Essentials Forum Strengthen Students’ Connections to School
Join this free event to learn how schools are creating the space for students to form strong bonds with each other and trusted adults.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Standards-Based Grading Roundtable: What We've Achieved and Where We're Headed
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Creating Confident Readers: Why Differentiated Instruction is Equitable Instruction
Join us as we break down how differentiated instruction can advance your school’s literacy and equity goals.
Content provided by Lexia Learning

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Inside the First-Ever White House State Dinner for Teachers
Teachers were feted by first lady Jill Biden and other national leaders, with a surprise appearance by a powerful dignitary.
6 min read
Jill Biden applauds teachers during the first-ever Teachers of the Year state dinner at the White House.
Jill Biden applauds teachers during the first-ever Teachers of the Year state dinner at the White House on May 2, 2024.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Letter to the Editor Change the Workplace, Not the Person, to Fight Burnout
A science teacher argues that eliminating burnout is not the responsibility of teachers.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Teaching Profession Opinion Transitioning Out of Teaching Is Hard. Here's What I've Learned
For teachers looking to change careers, the skills they’ve honed in the classroom don’t always easily translate to their resume.
Julie Packett
5 min read
A solitary woman is highlighted in a spotlight.
iStock/Getty Images
Teaching Profession Will Biden’s New Loan-Forgiveness Plan Cast a Wider Net for Educators?
The Biden administration is taking another tack to push through loan forgiveness, including for teachers.
5 min read
Illustration of woman cutting ball and chain tethered to graduation cap.
iStock / Getty Images Plus