Canadian educators' post-pandemic recovery and students’ unmet needs:who is left behind?

Abstract

We investigated post-pandemic recovery in education sector employees by role in 2024. The frameworks of the job demands-resources model and ecological systems theory were employed. Canadian educators (N = 243) completed surveys exploring their mental health (well-being, resilience, recovery), intention to leave their jobs, and their perceptions of students' current and post-pandemic needs. Quantitative findings revealed educators who intended to leave their jobs had poorer levels of mental health. Also, they were not meeting their students’ needs adequately. The qualitative data showed that students with complex needs were disproportionally under-served. Theoretical, practical, and policy implications on equitable education are discussed.</p