Findings
  • Finding 1→
    finding-01-hero

    Finding 1

    Teachers and parents believe that media coverage affects teachers.
  • Finding 2→
    home-image-01

    Finding 2

    Newspapers rarely discussed teachers in depth or included teachers’ voices.
  • Finding 3→
    finding-03-hero

    Finding 3

    Newspapers covered non-academic factors that affect learning more than any other topic.
  • Finding 4→
    finding-04-hero

    Finding 4

    National newspapers started covering evaluation less and quoting teachers more around 2015.
  • Finding 5→
    finding-05-hero

    Finding 5

    Both local and national newspapers most often portrayed teachers engaged in the work of teaching. National newspapers more often portrayed teachers being evaluated than local newspapers did.
  • Finding 6→
    finding-06-hero

    Finding 6

    Depictions of teachers being evaluated in national newspapers began declining after 2015, while depictions of professional development and compensation began increasing.
  • Finding 7→
    finding-07-hero

    Finding 7

    In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, depictions of teachers changed more in national newspapers than in local newspapers.
  • Finding 8→
    finding-08-hero

    Finding 8

    From 2009 to 2020, newspapers rarely depicted teacher shortages, lack of classroom resources, or lack of diversity in the profession.
  • Finding 9→
    finding-09-hero

    Finding 9

    Depictions of teachers involved in illegal activity were rare, but spiked modestly in certain years.
  • Finding 10→
    finding-10-hero

    Finding 10

    Teachers believe it is important for the news media to cover student poverty, lack of classroom resources, and teacher shortages.
Summary of Findings→
hero-line-chart

Summary of

FINDINGS

Explore the

FINDINGS

Implications Interviews Methodology
Findings
  • Finding 1→
  • Finding 2→
  • Finding 3→
  • Finding 4→
  • Finding 5→
  • Finding 6→
  • Finding 7→
  • Finding 8→
  • Finding 9→
  • Finding 10→
Summary of Findings→
Implications Interviews Methodology

EXPLORE THE FINDINGS

summary 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

finding 8 of 10

prev next
finding-08-hero

Finding 8

From 2009 to 2020, newspapers rarely depicted teacher shortages, lack of classroom resources, or lack of diversity in the profession.

Very few national or local newspapers depicted teacher shortages, teachers lacking classroom resources, or a lack of diversity in the profession. Yet most teachers think it is very important for newspapers to cover these issues, as discussed in Finding 10.

How did newspapers’ portrayals of teachers change?

Tooltip

Changes in five portrayals of teachers in news articles about K-12 education in the U.S. that mention teachers twice or more, 2009 to 2020. Portrayals are not mutually exclusive.

Teachers and Journalists Respond

Hear how other teachers and journalists respond to these findings.

Youtube Video

Newspapers rarely portrayed #K12 #teachers dealing with shortages, attrition, or lack of classroom resources, all issues that most teachers think are very important for the media to cover, according to @publicagenda research.

Newspapers rarely portrayed #K12 #teachers dealing with shortages, attrition, or lack of classroom resources, all issues that most teachers think are very important for the media to cover, according to @publicagenda research. Click To Tweet Tweet This
  • Findings
  • Implications
  • Interviews
  • Methodology

Public Agenda is a nonpartisan research and public engagement organization dedicated to strengthening democracy and expanding opportunity for all Americans. To learn more about this project please email editorial@publicagenda.org.

Public-Agenda-Logo-White

1 DOCK 72 WAY # 6101
Brooklyn, NY 11205-1242
(212) 686-6610

Join the Conversation
© 2023 Public Agenda. All rights reserved.
Site by 3rd Edge
Photo credits

Photo Credits
First two photos on home page and photos on Findings 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 by Allison Shelley for EDUimages. Third photo on home page and photos on Findings 5, 8, 10 by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages. Photo on Finding 9 by iStock.com/Goxy89. All other credits appear near photos.