Data Snapshot: What Teacher and Student Morale Looks Like Right Now
Special Report
Special Report
Student Well-Being & Movement Infographic

Data Snapshot: What Teacher and Student Morale Looks Like Right Now

By EdWeek Research Center — January 06, 2021 1 min read
Mood Emojis shown in the form of a chart with data graphs ghosted behind them.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Teachers and students are struggling to maintain morale and motivation as the pandemic school year reaches the halfway point. The EdWeek Research Center conducted nationally representative surveys of K-12 teachers and middle and high school students to capture current attitudes for both groups. Here are some highlights.

Data: How has the coronavirus pandemic affected levels of motivation?
Data chart teachers' view of morale among students, teachers and administrators at their school.
Data chart students' view of morale among students, teachers and administrators at their school.
Data: How did your students (or you) react when you (or your teachers) stopped grading or counting grades during the pandemic?
Data: How are you feeling these days about the future?

Coverage of social and emotional learning is supported in part by a grant from The Allstate Foundation, at AllstateFoundation.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

A version of this article appeared in the January 06, 2021 edition of Education Week as A Look at Teacher and Student Morale

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Creative Approaches to K-12 Budget Realities
What are districts prioritizing in 2026? New survey data reveals emerging K-12 budgeting trends.
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
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Coursework to Careers: Expanding Work-Based Learning and Industry Credentials in CTE
Expand work-based learning and industry credentials in CTE to connect classroom learning with real careers and prepare students for future success.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar Data-Driven and District-Ready: What EdWeek Research Tells Us About the CTE Market
Discover how to sharpen your positioning in a fast-moving market of CTE with actionable strategies grounded in EdWeek Research Center data.

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

Student Well-Being & Movement The Immigration Crackdown Ended Months Ago. Trauma Remains for These Kids
Operation Metro Surge left an imprint on young children that could haunt them for years, experts say.
5 min read
Shane Jackson, left, pets Sage, a therapy dog, while chatting with Sage's owner, Linda Buchs-Hammonds, at Valley View Elementary School on April 29, 2026, in Columbia Heights, Minn.
Shane Jackson, left, pets Sage, a therapy dog, while chatting with Sage's owner, Linda Buchs-Hammonds, at Valley View Elementary School on April 29, 2026, in Columbia Heights, Minn. The suburban Minneapolis district continues to deal with students' trauma months after the Trump administration's immigration enforcement surge in the area.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost via AP
Student Well-Being & Movement Mental Health Apps for Students Are Growing. Here's What Schools Need to Know
A new report issues caveats and warnings about AI-driven mental health apps.
6 min read
Teenage girl looking at smart phone
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement The Hidden Force Behind Student Success: School-Based Health Workers Make Their Case
Organizations representing school-based health workers want legislative support from Congress.
5 min read
A pair of Miami Arts Studio students hug as others walk between classes, on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at the public 6th-12th grade magnet school, in Miami.
Students hug during World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, 2023, at a public magnet school in Miami. A coalition of school health professionals are asking Congress to invest in school-based health resources.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Your Students Are Stressed. You Can Help Them
Teachers can guide students out of survival mode and into readiness for learning.
4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week