Nearly half of California teachers are planning to exit the profession, according to a pair of recently released surveys.
Education Week’s annual The State of Teaching report, which was released last week, found nearly half of California teachers surveyed planned to retire or quit in the next 10 years. Nationwide, an estimated 35% of teachers aimed to leave the profession in the next decade, according to the report.
A separate survey published in January by the California Teachers Association found 40% of teachers were considering leaving education within the next few years, with nearly half of those who planned to quit citing financial reasons.
Despite a high percentage of teachers eying the exit door, California rated relatively well on Education Week’s Teacher Morale Index.
The Index measures teachers’ attitudes based on responses to survey questions. Education Week found that California teachers are relatively upbeat about their jobs, with an average morale score of 16, which was 3 points higher than the national average of 13.
Education Week surveyed more than 5,800 teachers across all states from August through November for this year’s The State of Teaching report.
The report found that California has some of the largest class sizes in the nation, with an average of about 29 students. The national average is 25, according to the survey.
California teachers said class sizes should be between 20 and 24 students, according to the report.
California teachers have the highest pay in the nation, according to the National Education Association.
The average starting salary in 2025 for a California teacher was $58,409, and the average salary was $101,084, according to the NEA.
The Education Week report did not say why California teachers sought to leave their jobs.
The survey found that California teachers would like more planning time during the workday, more mental wellness days and shifts in school leadership styles and approaches.
