PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia teachers say they're overworked and underpaid but they're still passionate about the work they do.
That's one of the takeaways from a survey released Thursday by the nonprofit Elevate 215, formerly the nonprofit known as the Philadelphia School Partnership.
About 734 teachers participated in the online survey conducted by Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition, a group that comes up with strategies to build a more diverse and effective teaching force.
Most teachers responded that their schools are on the right track, but they believe, overall, Philadelphia schools are not.
Forty-eight percent of teachers responded they were "somewhat" or "very" satisfied with their salaries, said Scott Gaiber, Elevate 215's deputy chief of investments.
"Teachers definitely do not feel like they're compensated adequately for the work that they do," Gaiber said. "They also feel like their workloads are, frankly, overwhelming."
The survey showed that 82% of the respondents were district teachers and 18% were from charters.
"Overall, charter teachers did view a number of different conditions more favorably," Gaiber said. "What's interesting about that is that, in terms of actual turnover, we know that charter teachers turn over more than district teachers."
While most teachers said they believe they have the respect of parents and their peers, 80% of them have considered leaving the profession.
Gaiber says survey results will be used to recommend ways to build a more diverse and effective teaching force.
The survey was commissioned by Elevate 215.
