Launch Michigan is sharing new insights gathered from 5,000 surveyed educators as part of an effort to help move Michigan public education forward. 

Launch Michigan is a collaborative of education, philanthropy, business and other leaders across the state, including CMF and several CMF members.

“When it comes to building Michigan’s workforce for the future, educators are essential. We can’t afford to sit by as retirements spike and enrollment in teacher preparation programs drops precipitously,” Adam Zemke, president of Launch Michigan said in a press release. “We are in the midst of a crisis that is growing with each passing year, and the impact of COVID-19 on the profession has exacerbated the trend. As we work to reverse course, it makes tremendous sense for us to begin by asking teachers and other education professionals themselves which elements can do the most to keep them satisfied in their work.”

Launch Michigan fielded a similar survey in 2019 to gather insights from Michigan teachers, support staff and administrators, to listen to what they believe is needed to provide a best in class education to all Michigan students. 

CMF reported on the findings of the 2019 survey. 

According to Launch Michigan’s lead researcher, Emma White, principal and CEO of Emma White Research LLC, this year’s survey added new questions and provided an opportunity to reflect upon 2019 findings to see what has or has not changed. 

“We learned in 2019 that there are pieces of educator’s jobs that they enjoy but there’s also a deep feeling that the profession is not respected and some frustrations that limit job satisfaction. That same thing is true now; we didn’t see a lot of change with that in the pandemic,” White said.

The survey asked questions specific to educator’s experience during the pandemic as well as their experience more broadly. 

Key takeaways from the survey:

•    70% of educators responded that lack of support from policymakers affects their career satisfaction, compared to 72% in 2019. 

•    73% of teachers are satisfied with being a teacher, compared to 77% in 2019.

•    81% of educators responded that increasing salary would make them feel more respected.

•    10% of educators believe Michigan public schools are doing poorly compared to 13% in 2019.

•    57% of educators believe allocating funding based on student need is a top priority, 59% in 2019.

•    More teachers (58%) feel empowered in 2021, compared to 56% in 2019.

•    14% of teachers indicated their interest in retiring compared to 10% in 2019.

•    31% of teachers would recommend the profession to young people compared to 25% in 2019. 

Other results expand on educator thoughts around what they need to feel education is respected as a profession, what they are looking for in terms of career development and what they think would improve schools. 

According to White, one of the points of the survey is to make sure the voices of educators are included in the decision making space. 

“The survey can be used as an opportunity for policy makers to listen to what matters to teachers and to think about what can change to attract and retain really strong professionals in the field,” White said. 

Launch Michigan plans to administer a survey to additional stakeholder groups, including Michigan philanthropy. We invite you to stay tuned for a survey invitation to welcome your insights on public education. 

Want more?

Read the full report. 

Join the Office of Foundation Liaison and CMF’s P-20 Education Affinity Group on August 4th for a discussion on the state of early childhood in Michigan and how philanthropy can support the system for the future.