BOSTON - Adaptive learning company HMH today released the results of its 2024 Educator Confidence Report, marking a decade of this annual report that amplifies the voices of our nation’s educators and highlights the evolving challenges and opportunities in education. The report, based on responses from over 1,200 educators—including teachers and administrators—delves into critical K-12 issues, including mental health, compensation concerns, and the growing role of digital technologies, including generative AI, in transforming classrooms.
Outlook on Teaching: There’s Work to Do
Over the past 10 years, educators have remained resilient, committed to improving education, and open to adopting new technologies. However, many still feel negatively about the profession. In recent years, the mental health challenges that both students and teachers face have received greater attention, and our report findings underscore how pressing these issues continue to be for educators.
- Educator sentiment toward the profession is lower today than when the survey began in 2015, with 41% of educators feeling positive versus 36% today. While there has been steady growth since an all-time low during the COVID-19 pandemic (+7% over 2023), 64% still feel negatively about the state of teaching and learning. Top concerns include inadequate compensation (68%), the mental health of fellow educators (64%), the mental health of their students (57%), and lack of funding (53%).
- Educators are less likely to leave the field than 10 years ago, but 41% say they have yet to rule it out, and 26% say they will leave the field within the next five years.
“Over the past decade, our nation’s educators have faced immense challenges that persist today. They’ve also shown remarkable resilience and a willingness to embrace new technologies that can make a real impact,” said Jack Lynch, CEO of HMH. “As we look to the future, there will be exciting new opportunities to fuse the power of technology with the traditional, social aspects of the classroom. We are committed to providing educators with the tools they need to leverage these opportunities and create growth for every student.”
Outlook on Tech in the Classroom: Consistently High Confidence in Tech Skills
Over the past decade, educators have maintained a high level of confidence in their abilities to use technology to enhance teaching and student achievement, with over 90% of educators somewhat confident or higher each year. Many recognize its ability to save time, inform instruction, and support diverse learning needs.
Key findings include:
- 97% are confident in their ability to use technology in an instructionally effective way
- 66% say tools connecting instruction with supplemental practice, intervention, and assessment on one platform would be a game-changer
- Of those teaching 10 years or more, 81% feel tech has had a positive impact on the profession over the past decade
Outlook on Generative AI: Early Optimism, Caution Ahead
2024 marks the first year of the AI Confidence Index, a new key metric created to examine how educators feel about the impact and potential of generative AI. In just one year, educators' use of generative AI increased 5x, which shows that these tools are starting to prove their worth to educators.
Of the 50% of educators who use generative AI:
- 76% believe GenAI is at least somewhat valuable to their work
- 73% say it saves them time
- 72% plan to use it even more in the next school year
Educators overwhelmingly agree that tools utilizing generative AI:
- Are an inevitable technological advancement (77%)
- Should be harnessed positively, with all users taught to use them ethically (84%)
- Need to fulfill teacher professional development needs to address their application (76%)
Still, a wariness remains among educators using generative AI about students using the tech to take shortcuts:
- 58% have concerns about plagiarism
- 54% are concerned about student over-dependence
- 35% are concerned about a lack of professional development or guidance on how to implement these tools safely and with fidelity
Those who have not been using generative AI tools are even more concerned—53%—about the need for professional development to use the technology safely and with fidelity.
“This year’s ECR gives me so much hope, as although we have much work to do to improve teachers’ professional experience, there is increased positivity from teachers who wish to remain in the field,” said Francie Alexander, Senior Vice President of Research, HMH. “As one of the biggest influences on students' lives, we must ensure teachers have the tools, technology, and professional learning support they need to help every student get a quality education. At HMH, we help educators put the curriculum, assessment data, and professional development pieces together to accelerate student success and improve outcomes for all learners.”
About the Educator Confidence Report
For 10 years, HMH has surveyed educators on the state of education, their profession and students’ needs. The Educator Confidence Report is an annual independent study distributed to a diverse national cross-section. The 10th annual Educator Confidence Report was underwritten by HMH and conducted between May and June 2024 with MarketCast, surveying 1,201 educators, including 1,051 teachers and 150 administrators.
Learn more about the 2024 Educator Confidence Report here.
About HMH
HMH is an adaptive learning company that helps educators create growth for every student. Our integrated curriculum, assessment and professional learning solutions use data to paint a full picture of every learner and recommend how to best support their needs. By partnering with educators, we create lasting momentum so that all students can reach their full potential. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.
Contact
Katie Marshall
Communications Manager, HMH
Katie.Marshall@hmhco.com
617-351-5057