Survey finds teachers see behavior, leadership, and pay as keys to improving schools

Teacher Tapp has identified student behavior, leadership support, and fair compensation as the most critical areas for improving schools. This announcement was made in a blog post on the Teacher Tapp website.

Teachers are increasingly urged to secure personal liability insurance as legal actions against educators become more common. According to MyPayMySay, incidents involving student discipline or injuries can expose teachers to lawsuits, even when they follow school policies. The organization advises that liability coverage can help protect teachers financially in the event of a claim.

A study published in the European Journal of Education indicates that school leadership positively impacts teacher professionalism through trust in administrators and psychological empowerment. The study highlights that effective leadership fosters a sense of autonomy and respect among teachers, which is crucial for a healthy school culture. This underscores the importance of school leaders being supportive and attuned to their staff's needs.

The Economic Policy Institute reported that from 1996 through 2023, teacher wages in the U.S. fell by 5.1% after adjusting for inflation, highlighting long-term stagnation in teacher pay. A 2023 RAND Corporation study found that teachers who received larger pay increases were more likely to consider their base pay adequate and were less likely to intend to leave the profession, suggesting that competitive compensation is crucial for teacher retention. Despite these findings, many teachers continue to face financial challenges, with some resorting to moonlighting or leaving the profession altogether due to inadequate pay and resources.

According to its website, Teacher Tapp is a daily survey app that gathers insights from thousands of teachers to better understand education conditions and inform decision-making. Founded in 2017 by Laura McInerney, Professor Becky Allen, and Ben Corrigan, Teacher Tapp aims to bridge the gap between educators and policymakers by providing real-time anonymized data used by schools, researchers, and governments to improve educational practices.