American Educator Panels

The American Educator Panels (AEP) are the only three standing nationally representative samples of educators in the U.S. who regularly provide their feedback on important issues of educational policy and practice. The panels consist of over 25,000 teachers in the American Teacher Panel (ATP), 8,000 principals in the American School Leader Panel (ASLP), and 1,000 districts in the American School District Panel (ASDP).

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Insights from the Panels

The American Educator Panels check in with educators multiple times per year on important education policies and issues. Here are some findings from recent AEP surveys.

  • 68% of K–12 public school teachers chose “promoting students’ critical and independent thinking” as a top aim of civic and citizenship education; 23% said the same of “promoting knowledge of social, political and civic institutions.” See full report
  • Expanding student loan forgiveness or service scholarships was chosen by 58% of current K–12 teachers of color as an effective strategy for diversifying the K–12 teacher workforce. See full report
  • 26% of K–12 English language arts and mathematics public school teachers spent $300 or more on instructional materials in the 2021–22 school year; 14% spent $500 or more. See full report
  • Due to teacher shortages, 49% of superintendents reported reassigning central office staff to cover classes, and 26% reported enlisting school or district staff to drive a bus in 2021–2022. See full report
Find surveys and research

About the RAND American Educator Panels

The RAND American Educator Panels provide policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with nationally representative survey responses from K–12 public teachers, principals, and superintendents.

Not all nationally representative educator surveys are equally rigorous or transparent about their methods. You can depend on the American Educator Panels for high-quality, accurate, and reliable information directly from teachers and school leaders across the United States. The American Educator Panels are a proud member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research’s Transparency Initiative.

Download our free reports or data files to use our research. Contact us to run your own survey and gather evidence you can trust with the level of precision you need to inform education policy and practice.

Learn more about the AEP