In our previous report, Nothing in the Pipes: Educator Crisis in Mississippi, we explained how the rising cost of college attendance and the declining value of teaching salaries may be squeezing aspiring new teachers out of the pipeline. To build on that analysis, we surveyed 6,496 Mississippi public school teachers—1 in 6 teachers statewide—in November 2021 to establish the state’s most comprehensive resource for understanding the critical teacher shortage in Mississippi from teachers’ perspectives.
In collaboration with the Survey Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Department of Education, we surveyed teachers about their pathway into the profession, financial well-being, career plans, and policy preferences. The survey results paint a bleak picture of Mississippi’s educator pipeline: over half of teachers surveyed indicated that they are likely to leave within the next year.
“These survey results confirm one of our greatest fears. Not only are Mississippi teachers underpaid and feeling undervalued—they are willing to act on these conditions by leaving Mississippi classrooms in droves. We now have evidence that the consequences of lowest-in-the-nation average pay extend to teachers at every point in their career. With more than 50% of surveyed teachers indicating they may leave before the next school year, failing to act now will have lasting effects on our education system and our students.”
Toren Ballard, Director of K-12 Policy at Mississippi First
In this report, we detail five top-level findings and insights from the survey that clarify just how dire this situation is for Mississippi:
Our Five Top-Level Findings
Finding #1
Over half of teachers surveyed report being likely to leave their Mississippi classroom within the next year.
Finding #2
Compensation is by far the most important factor in career plans for surveyed teachers—especially those likely to leave.
Finding #3
Low pay is forcing many teachers to
forgo basic necessities, take second jobs, and/
or rely on government assistance.
Finding #4
Teachers who are struggling
financially are much more likely to leave the
classroom within the next year.
Finding #5
Teachers strongly prefer well-
funded compensation strategies, rather than
any particular type of strategy.
Thankfully, teachers are almost unanimous in a proposed solution: invest meaningfully in Mississippi teachers. By providing teachers with a meaningful raise, we can send a message about our state’s priorities, attract educators from across the nation, and enable Mississippi teachers to stay exactly where they are.