The Urban Institute has released research revealing the links between escalating housing costs and patterns of economic anxiety among teachers, particularly in high-cost urban areas. In addition to assessing the prevalence of economic anxiety among teachers, the study assesses how such anxiety relates to teacher attitudes, behaviors, and turnover rates by using survey data drawn from the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Read the article here.
The study finds that teachers were less likely to own a home, more likely to be renters, and more likely to have a longer commute when compared to other workers. Nearly half of teachers reported consistent anxiety over their current financial situation compared to the national sample of employed adults. The study also finds that teachers with frequent anxiety had a lower regard for teaching and were more likely to leave the school district compared to teachers with less anxiety. The researchers conclude by encouraging greater collaboration between affordable housing programs, school districts, and policymakers.
Read the article here.