Hear from teachers about what helps them meet students’ needs and why support, materials and collaboration matter. The Walton Family Foundation’s classroom investments are part of its broader 2030 education strategy to support thriving youth by strengthening schools, classrooms and systems. The strategy builds on the foundation’s longstanding support for charter schools while also expanding pathways for young people, investing in leadership and advancing policy and narrative change.
How collaboration, classroom materials and professional learning can reduce burnout, strengthen teaching and create more moments of success in the classroom
New Gallup research reveals that 71% of U.S. teachers hold at least one second job, a sign of the financial strain that has become a daily reality for educators across the country.
New research from the Walton Family Foundation, the Bipartisan Policy Center and Gallup finds that 71% of teachers have a paid position beyond their primary teaching job. One in five says they find it difficult to get by financially.
More than half of teachers in the United States say they couldn’t take any paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Most had to rely on accrued sick days instead. Only two states currently offer 12 weeks of fully paid leave with coverage for long-term substitutes.
What happens when teachers don’t have paid parental leave? Too often, they leave the classroom—or never enter it at all. In Arkansas and Delaware, teachers receive 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, with states covering the cost of long-term substitutes. Educators and state leaders share how these policies support families, strengthen financial stability, and help schools retain great teachers.
Teachers’ job satisfaction is deeply tied to the support they receive. According to a new Gallup report, 77% of teachers who say they have the materials they need to do their jobs are satisfied with their school as a workplace.
