The big picture: Overall, members say their job satisfaction is up after hitting a new low during the pandemic. But student discipline and behavior issues are increasingly on educators’ minds.
Rising to the top: The results of the Idaho Education Association’s annual member survey are in, and members say their top four legislative priorities are:
• Ending private school vouchers
• Increasing funding for public education
• Raising compensation for educators
• Expanding mental health support for students and staff.
The elephant in the room: Student discipline and behavior issues are top concerns for members.
• 28% of surveyed members reported experiencing student-on-teacher violence within the past year.
• Of those, 16% were subjected to student violence more than 10 times.
• Members say cell phones, social media and lack of mental health staffing contribute to the instability they feel while working.
Mood shift: More educators say they are very satisfied with their jobs (18%) than last year (13%).
• And far fewer educators said they are experiencing the worst burnout ever.
Room for more improvement: Overall, members reveal that working conditions have improved since the pandemic, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to bolster educator satisfaction.
• 18% of members are very satisfied with their jobs, up just slightly from 17% in 2024. Only 8% say they are very dissatisfied, down from 12% the year before.
• Educators who say they are experiencing the worst burnout ever dropped dramatically, from 25% to 18%.
Losing faith in state leadership: IEA members report a sharp drop in their opinion of the state’s leadership, expressing dissatisfaction with both the governor and the Idaho Legislature.
• Only 1% of IEA members have a very favorable view of the Legislature.
• Gov. Brad Little’s approval rating has dropped sharply from previous years. Only 26% of surveyed members approve of his work on education.
• Members expressed direct concern about lawmakers controlling books and curriculum and the approval of Idaho’s first voucher scheme in February.
More approval at the local level: Members have more trust in their local school boards (64% favorable) and their school administration (82% favorable).
Bit of background: Every year, the Idaho Education Association surveys its members to learn more about their opinions and what they are experiencing in the classroom. This year’s survey, conducted by the National Education Association’s polling team, took place between Oct. 21-29.
