2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey

In 2015, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association conducted an 80-question survey of 30,000 teachers and school staff on the quality of their work life, in response to concerns regarding work stress that educators had reported. Our 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey was shortened to 30 questions. This year, we surveyed a random sample of 830 AFT members as well as educators in two New York school districts where educator unions have built strong collaborative labor-management practices. More than 4,000 additional educators responded to a public version of the survey online.

Our 2017 survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.