Educator Well-being & Wellness

A Look at the Landscape

Findings from the 2024 State of the American Teacher Survey indicate that teachers’ reported well-being is worse than that of the general population of working adults and of adults in comparable jobs.

Twice as many teachers across the nation reported experiencing frequent job-related stress or burnout, and three times as many teachers reported experiencing challenges with coping with job-related stress than other professionals in comparable jobs. These trends have persisted since 2021.

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Authors’ Note

This figure shows the weighted percentage of teachers (blue), the general population of employed adults (gray), and comparable working adults (green) coded as having or experiencing each of the indicators of well-being, based on their survey responses. Comparable working adults are defined as employed adults who are between the ages of 18 and 64, have at least a bachelor’s degree, and report working at least 35 hours per week. How we measured each well-being indicator is described in the “How This Analysis Was Conducted” section at the end of this report. Sample sizes for 2024 data are as follows: teachers N = 1,479; general population of working adults N = 501; and comparable working adults N = 219. Sample sizes were comparable in prior years (Doan et al., 2023).

Use the resources on this page to help nurture a culture of wellness and well-being for educators. Knowing that they are pivotal supports for Ohio’s students, we must build relationships and supports for their success.

Educator wellness is key to overall school and district success and can be overshadowed by other staff responsibilities in schools.

Educator wellness impacts resilience, motivation, and job satisfaction (Ohio School Wellness Initiative School Staff Wellness Manual). A focus on educator well-being and wellness is one approach for improving school culture and climate and increasing educator retention.

How are Educator Well-being and Wellness Defined?

There are a variety of definitions for teacher well-being and wellness in research and practice. Generally, educator well-being is described as more holistic and overarching, characterized by low stress levels and the absence of burnout. Educator wellness is often seen as an aspect of well-being.

Well-being Definition Examples

  • “Positive state experienced by individuals and societies.” (World Health Organization, 2021, para. 1)

  • “We define well-being among teachers as a wide-encompassing idea that includes teacher mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Individual, school and community factors influence teacher well-being.” (Kentucky Department of Education, 2021, para. 3)

  • “Educator’s reactions (positive and negative), functioning and evaluation in response to the conditions in which they work.” (CCSSO & AIR, 2024, p. 11)

Wellness Definition Examples

 “The active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” (Global Wellness Institute, n.d., para. 2)

“Educator wellness is the impact of a school’s organizational and individual systems (e.g., culture and climate, employee training and supports, etc.) on staff social, emotional, physical, and mental well-being.” (Office of the State Superintendent of Education, District of Columbia, n.d., p. 1)

“Not as the absence of disease, illness, and stress, but as the presence of a positive purpose in life, satisfying work and play, joyful relationships, a healthy body and living environment, and happiness.” (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017, para. 7)

Well-being and wellness are multidimensional, including emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual wellness.

Districts, schools, and other educational organizations can initiate dialogue among administrators and staff to build a district definition of well-being or wellness that is specific to district context and aligned with the mission and vision.

Who is Responsible for Educator Well-being?

While there are steps individuals can take to improve their own well-being (e.g., completing training on stress management techniques), district and school leaders can utilize comprehensive and targeted approaches to reduce teacher stress and burnout. As entities strive to create workplaces where educators thrive, it is important to implement well-being strategies at these three intervention levels:

  • Organizational interventions: Related to systems, procedures, and policies. These interventions address the root causes to mitigate stress in the workplace.

    • Example: leadership training and support

  • Organizational-individual interface interventions: Focused on cultivating coworker skills and social support to foster trusting and respectful relationships. These interventions help educators manage stress in the workplace.

    • Example: mentoring and induction programming

  • Individual intervention: Addresses educator well-being at the individual level and includes mindfulness-based, psychological-based, and physical-based interventions. These interventions offer support to recover from stress in the workplace.

    • Example: providing relaxation and meditation sessions to staff

Learn more about the three levels of intervention for educator well-being.

Educator well-being is critical for creating supportive and effective workplaces, where educators feel valued and safe and where Ohio’s students experience positive conditions for learning and success.

New Tools Alert!

Use this Wellness Program Inventory to assess how your district is currently supporting staff well-being and identify gaps in wellness programming.

The program inventory will allow your district and school to consider the programs that are already in place to support educator wellness and learn more about who is/is not supported by your current programming and which wellness dimensions are/are not addressed. It is the first step to revising or building a wellness action plan.

The Ohio Staff Wellness Initiative: School Staff Wellness Manual also has useful tools to support staff wellness planning and implementation.  

See Chapter 4 of the manual for steps in building a wellness plan, and Chapter 5 for examples of what educators and districts can do to address each wellness dimension.

This manual can help to lay out a plan of action.

Are Staff Aware of the Great Programs Already Offered?

According to the Health Action Alliance, approximately two-thirds of business leaders across the country offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Yet, EAP utilization hovers between 5–10%. In 2021, among the Ohio school staff assessed by the Ohio School Wellness Initiative, 64% of respondents reported not knowing if their school had an EAP.

Tips for maximizing the value and impact of programs like EAPs:

  1. Evaluate staff awareness

  2. Communicate often about existing programs and their benefits (utilize a variety of platforms for your communications)

  3. Reduce stigma related to program use

  4. Extend eligibility when possible (e.g., extending eligibility to domestic partners, children, elderly family, etc.)

  5. Provide opportunities to learn more about offerings

  6. Evaluate your program(s) for effectiveness

Source: Health Action Alliance (2023). Adapted from HAA tips for EAPs: Maximize the Value of Your Employee Wellness Benefits.

Leverage What Already Exists – Promising and Evidence-based Programs

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to wellness. Districts and schools can look to programs with existing evidence of effectiveness and to emerging programs with promising practices.

Use this resource to take your next steps.

Continue Your Journey – Additional Resources

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Resources

EAP Resources

Other Resources and Examples

Educators Experiencing Secondary Trauma Stress and Exposure

New Resource Coming Soon

Educators report a variety of factors leading to burnout and stress (e.g., managing student behavior, additional responsibilities, lack of resources or support). However, less often discussed or reported is the stress, fatigue, and emotional labor experienced by educators while empathizing with and supporting students and families dealing with trauma, as well as communities facing collective trauma.    

Secondary Trauma Stress, or compassion fatigue, is the emotional distress someone may experience as a result of working with traumatized individuals and populations.

Teachers are at an increased risk of secondary trauma stress as they support and care for their students (Van Klompenberg, 2023). Districts and schools can support educators by providing resources and support to mitigate the effects of secondary trauma stress and fatigue. We will be sharing a new resource to support educators in managing this issue. Watch for more details.