Warning bells have sounded across the nation – a teacher exodus is nigh. A number of teacher surveys have pointed to deep discontentment in the profession:

• An oft-cited National Education Association survey found that “a staggering 55 percent of educators are thinking about leaving the profession earlier than they had planned.” 
• A survey of teachers conducted by The New York Times found that “teachers feel forgotten, disillusioned and tired.” 
• And an EdWeek Research Center survey results “suggest a deep disillusionment of many teachers who feel overworked, underpaid, and under-appreciated, with potential implications for a once-in-a-generation shift in the teaching profession.”

But writers from EdWeek, Chalkbeat and FiveThirtyEight have questioned if this is a Chicken Little situation – some voices are yelling that the sky is falling when it’s firmly in place (teachers aren’t going anywhere). 

So Idaho Education News has decided to investigate: What is the state of the teaching profession in Idaho? Is a teacher exodus really looming? What’s it like to be a teacher today and how has the profession changed over the last few decades?

We plan to write a series of stories to answer those questions, and we need your help. EdNews is asking K-12 teachers across the state to fill out an anonymous survey to help inform the reporting on this series. So if you’re a teacher (or were within the past year), join the conversation — take this short survey and share the link with your colleagues.