Teachers are working longer, facing even more financial strain, and considering leaving their jobs as the pandemic pushes educators to the brink

• Teachers have long faced financial hardships associated with the profession: they are paid 20% less than careers with similar degree requirements, the Economic Policy Institute found, and often have difficulty repaying student loans, according to Horace Mann.
• But since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, life has gotten even harder for educators.
• 77% of teachers are working more this year than last year, according to a survey of over a thousand educators.
• But "money has been even tighter than usual," the survey found.
• The result: more than a quarter of teachers surveyed said they were considering quitting or taking a leave of absence, which could compound an existing shortage of teachers.
• Are you an educator with a story to share? Business Insider wants to hear from you. Contact the author of this article at ijibilian@businessinsider.com from a non-work email, or via secure messaging app Signal at 917-727-6830.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made life even harder for teachers, a new study from research firm Horace Mann found. The report surveyed over a thousand educators across the country, and found that most are working longer hours and facing increased financial strain, leaving over a quarter of them to consider leaving their jobs.

"Many teachers are working 12-14 hours a day trying to teach some sections of students who are in-person and some sections who are online," said one teacher in their survey response. "There is not much good research on how to do this in the best way, so we are feeling our way along in the dark."

They aren't the only one. 77% of teachers said that they are working more than they did a year ago and 60% are enjoying their profession less than before, the survey found.

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But a larger workload has not necessarily translated into greater compensation. The study concluded that "money is tighter than usual," for many teachers. More than two-thirds of respondents said they had reduced the contributions to their general savings accounts, and nearly half of respondents said they wouldn't have the money to pay for an unexpected $1,000 expense.

The survey also found that those who teach in-person classes face health concerns. 59% of teachers said that they did not feel secure, or only felt somewhat secure, regarding their school's safety precautions.

Amid these strains, some teachers are considering leaving their posts. Already, schools across the nation were facing a shortage of teachers. The Economic Policy institute predicted that the teacher shortage would exceed 110,000 in the school year of 2017 and 2018. But now, 27% teachers are considering quitting, retiring early, or taking a leave of absence, the survey found.

The study surveyed 1,240 educators across the US in October and November. The survey collected opinions from K-12 public school teachers, administrators, and other school staff.

Are you an educator with a story to share? Business Insider wants to hear from you. Contact the author of this article at ijibilian@businessinsider.com from a non-work email, or via secure messaging app Signal at 917-727-6830.