DonorsChoose releases insights from survey of 2,667 public school teachers on out-of-pocket costs, second jobs, and equity gaps ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week
NEW YORK, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Public school teachers in the U.S. spend an average of $687 of their own money to buy supplies for their classroom every year, according to a new survey of 2,667 teachers released today by education nonprofit DonorsChoose. Also, one in four teachers report working 10 or more hours per week at a second job to supplement their income. DonorsChoose released the survey results a week ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs from May 8-12, 2023.
The survey, which provides a snapshot of today's teacher experience, found that teachers are deeply dedicated to their students: One of the top words teachers used to describe their profession this year was "rewarding," and 59% wanted to continue teaching for 10 or more years. However, the financial pressures facing teachers present major barriers.
"It takes an incredibly talented, driven, and resourceful person to be a public school teacher, and they deserve our support and respect," said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. "We're losing fantastic teachers because their passion for their work doesn't put pencils and glue sticks in the supply closet, nor does it put food on the table for their families. We need to pay teachers better, to give them the resources to do their job well, and to invest in underrepresented and historically underfunded teachers."
The survey also uncovered disparities among teachers of color and teachers at Equity Focus Schools, a DonorsChoose designation for schools where a majority of students are from low-income households and a majority of students are Black, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, or multiracial. Teachers of color report spending an average of $714 of their own money on school supplies, and teachers at Equity Focus Schools report spending an average of $718 — both higher than the average of $687. Teachers of color also report more often than White teachers that they work a second job to support their teacher salary, and teachers at Equity Focus Schools were more likely to report having a second job than teachers at other schools.
To rally the public in support of teachers this Teacher Appreciation Week, DonorsChoose and their partners will offer a number of funding and matching opportunities from May 8-12 to help fund school supply requests from teachers. On May 9, for example, every donation to a classroom project will be matched at least 50% beginning at 7am ET, thanks to support from the SONIC Foundation. During Teacher Appreciation Week 2022, DonorsChoose donors and partners contributed over $8.5 million to support classroom requests from over 64,000 teachers.
The full report on the DonorsChoose survey is available on the nonprofit's blog. For more information and to make a tax-deductible donation, visit http://www.donorschoose.org.
ABOUT DONORSCHOOSE
DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 5.7 million people and partners have contributed $1.4 billion to support 2.5 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability.
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Media Contact
Juan Brizuela, DonorsChoose, 212-239-3615, [email protected]
SOURCE DonorsChoose
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