New Teaching Strategies Survey Featured in EdSurge

Professional development is a core component of education, primarily so teachers can sharpen their skills and, in turn, improve student outcomes.

But what if the benefits of PD go beyond student success? What if it actually increases job satisfaction for educators, too?

In a recent survey of more than 2,300 early childhood educators, respondents who reported having access to high-quality professional development were less likely to say they planned on leaving the field. And, in the inverse, educators who lacked such access said they were more inclined to leave the profession.

“The findings confirm what we have suspected: If we are to retain passionate educators, we must not only fairly compensate them for their critical work, but we must make high-quality, flexible opportunities for professional growth more accessible,” says John Olsen, CEO of Teaching Strategies, which conducted the survey and provides early childhood curriculum, assessment tools and more.

Like so many reports coming out about educators across the early childhood and K-12 spectrum these days, the survey also found that nearly half of educators are experiencing high levels of burnout and stress, often in connection with staff shortages.

Burnout, staffing challenges, compensation—these issues have been and will likely continue to be top of mind for educators. But it seems like professional development might be a salve, and a relatively straightforward one at that.