Survey: Teacher morale is up overall, but increased morale in Michigan lags national average

As Michigan continues to face educator shortages in our public schools, there’s a bright spot: teacher morale is up here and across the nation, according to research from EducationWeek’s The State of Teaching project. Yet the findings also highlighted a concern: the increase in teacher morale here in Michigan lagged the national average. Local teachers and education leaders gathered in Detroit to discuss the findings for EducationWeek’s Moving the Needle on Teacher Morale in Michigan. This event explored what the current state of teacher morale looks like in the state of Michigan, compared to national data. They discussed strategies that have the strongest potential to improve teacher morale. The survey, conducted by EdWeek Research Center, comprised 2,592 teachers from across the nation. Through these findings, EdWeek researchers developed the Teacher Morale Index, a year-over-year gauge of how teachers feel about the teaching profession. Read more about the Index and the methodology here. Through expansive reporting on teachers across the country, EdWeek’s Assistant Editor Sarah Sparks suggests “optimism and resilience might account for the positive increase as teachers work to get students back interested even if teachers are still struggling.”

Yet, the factors that shape teachers’ morale—specifically the types of changes that could make their levels improve— vary by state, according to the EdWeek Research Center. Michigan teachers cited five factors that could boost their morale: pay raise, more staff, changes to the school scheduling/calendar, changes to school policies and professional development.

The survey findings build upon what research and interviews with teachers in Michigan have said about the profession, including in EdTrust-Midwest’s recent report, Closing the Opportunity Divide: Addressing Michigan’s Teacher Shortage Problem for Students Most in Need.

Chalkbeat Detroit’s Bureau Chief Lori Higgins lead an engaging conversation with a panel of local educators on what Michigan school and district leaders can do to build teachers’ confidence and enthusiasm, as well as personal influences on teacher morale experienced by the panelists and their peers.

“Teachers will stick it out if they have a leader who supports them,” said Ben Jackson, Detroit Public Schools Community District’s assistant superintendent of human resources. “We have to prioritize taking care of our leaders.”

For Michigan, teacher pay is arguably a shared theme among the profession, as EdTrust-Midwest researchers also found. DPSCD teacher Elizabeth Toye explained that pay impacts many students’ willingness to buy into the profession.

“So many of my coworkers work multiple jobs. That is not livable but it’s the norm.”

“I’m a second career teacher and I love what I do,” said Janine Scott, a DPSCD teacher, “but I’m just now making what I made in 1997 with a bachelor’s in engineering. And, I have yet to have a summer off.”

EdWeek’s annual project cited resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability are three indispensable skills for teachers in 2025.

To dive deeper into EdWeek’s State of Teaching report, visit www.edweek.org/state-of-teaching. Read EdTrust-Midwest’s report here.

Are you an educator? Make your voice heard. Share your story through EdTrust-Midwest’s #TeachersWeNeed campaign.