Teachers across the country navigate a myriad of daily challenges which contribute to the ever-increasing teacher turnover rate. One of the key drivers of attrition may be unsurprising to those who work in education: Burnout.
In 2025, the RAND Education and Labor Division published results from the State of the American Teacher Survey, which showed that 53 percent of teachers reported feelings of burnout. Additionally, this study showed that female teachers are more likely to experience job-related stress than male teachers and those in other professions.
There’s no doubt that stress and burnout are among the leading causes of teacher attrition, but thankfully, there are meaningful ways we can work together to combat this issue to keep life-changing teachers excited about staying in the classroom.
How to Reduce Teacher Burnout
1. Provide teachers with access to high-quality materials and professional support
In conversations with The Commit Partnership, they shared that having access to high-quality instructional curriculum paired with the support of an instructional coach supports teachers' well-being.
Providing educators with materials decreases the time they spend creating their own, which in turn allows them to focus on their students and leave each day without taking work home. Offering resources like instructional coaching provides continued education so they can grow and hone their skills, and reinforces that their professional and personal development is important.
Additionally, a study from Gallup showed that “among teachers who are satisfied with their opportunities for professional growth, 80% are satisfied with their job and 36% say they always or very often feel burned out at work. In contrast, just over half of teachers who are dissatisfied or feel neutral about their opportunities for growth are satisfied with their job (53%), and almost six in 10 feel always or very often burned out at work (57%).” This study reinforces that having professional development opportunities has a positive impact on decreasing burnout and increasing satisfaction.
2. Cultivate collaborative school and classroom environments
Collaborative school environments increase teacher satisfaction and enhance student learning. Our November 2025 Honored National Teaching Award Recipient, Hui Couch, shared that having a strong school community is the foundation for student success. Her school is a truly collaborative community where teachers share ideas and learn from each other’s teaching methods. In her words. “This process really transforms us from a group of individual teachers into a true professional learning community with one shared goal: helping every student succeed.”
Our April 2026 Honored National Teaching Award Recipient, Trisha Lopez, also expresses how her collaborative school environment allows her to reach all students. In her classroom, she works closely with a group of paraprofessionals. In learning from her fellow staff members, she feels excited about expanding her knowledge and is supported in trying new methods to adapt to her students’ needs. This team-centered environment builds a culture of respect and a shared goal to ensure that students and educators can thrive.
3. Encourage teachers to use innovative teaching models
Providing teachers with the flexibility to use alternative proven teaching models gives them more agency and excitement in reaching all students. Kareem Farah, the CEO and Founder of the Modern Classrooms Project, has seen incredible results with their model in reducing teacher burnout. At its core, The Modern Classrooms Project designs instruction around each student’s individual needs and creates an environment for one-on-one and small group time.
With this method, Kareem shares that teachers “feel like they’re using their time effectively. They feel like they’re getting to do the things they love to do the most: build relationships and address student needs.” Through their teaching method, they’ve seen reduced teacher burnout and improved student outcomes. Teacher Hui Couch remarks about the method, “It has transformed my teaching too. I feel more successful, more enjoyable being a teacher, and honestly, more inspired in the classroom than I ever did before.”
4. Share your appreciation for teachers
Expressing your appreciation for teachers is a proven method to increase satisfaction and reduce teacher turnover. At Honored, we are passionate that teacher appreciation should extend beyond the dedicated Teacher Appreciation Week in May and be a regular practice for students, families, and educational staff. There are many ways to share your appreciation for teachers, such as writing them a heartfelt note or volunteering your time in their classroom.
Of course, our favorite way to show your appreciation is by nominating your teacher for our $5,000 Honored National Teaching Award. Our platform provides students and families the opportunity to express their gratitude, which is then shared directly with teachers and published online, giving them individualized, meaningful recognition.
Reducing teacher burnout is a nationwide issue that we can all work to combat. Whether you are a student, family member, staff member, or administrator, we can all take action to uplift our teachers and give them the support they deserve.
