The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Challenges for School Leadership

This annual survey conducted by MetLife examines the views of teachers and principals on the responsibilities and challenges facing school leaders, including the changing roles of principals and teachers, budget and resources, professional satisfaction, and implementation of the Common Core State Standards for college and career readiness. The 2012 report finds the following:

• Among responsibilities that school leaders face, those that teachers and principals identify as most challenging result from conditions that originate beyond school doors.
• The responsibilities of school leadership have changed significantly in recent years, leading to a job that principals say has become too complex and highly stressful.
• Principal and teacher job satisfaction is declining.
• Principals and teachers give each other high marks but disagree somewhat on the skills and experiences school leaders need.
• Teachers and principals have more confidence that teachers can teach the Common Core than they have that the Common Core will benefit students.