More than three quarters of teachers who identify as stressed say increasingly complex classroom needs — notably classroom management and student behaviour — are a leading source of pressure, according to a new national report from Education Perfect in partnership with Angus Reid. The survey, the third Canada Teacher Experience Report of 2026, paints a portrait of interconnected stresses that school systems must address to stabilise the teaching workforce.
Pressure points: workload, resources and classroom complexity
The study found that 76% of stressed teachers point to complex classroom demands as a major stressor, and 69% of teachers report feeling overwhelmed at least once a week. More than half of educators experiencing work-related stress — 52% — have actively considered leaving the profession, signalling retention risks for school systems.
Respondents linked stress to a range of organisational problems: 67% cited a lack of resources and support, and 64% identified overall workload as a significant factor. Administrative work was flagged separately, with 40% naming it as a stressor. The survey also found that 60% of stressed teachers had taken a sick or personal day because of stress in the preceding three months, while 14% had taken an extended leave of absence.
"Teacher wellbeing has become one of the leading conversations in education," said Dr. Tom D'Amico of Education Perfect's Learning Advisory Board. "Supporting teacher wellbeing requires investment in people and the systems that help them focus more of their time and energy on teaching and learning. School boards must step up and implement useful tools to lessen the stressful loads off our teachers."
What teachers say would help
When asked which changes would most reduce workplace stress, teachers prioritised operational capacity and supports. The top responses included additional staffing, reduced workload and better access to teaching resources. A clear majority also pointed to smaller classes as a lever to improve both teacher wellbeing and student learning.
- 64% of teachers identified additional staffing as a top priority;
- 60% called for reduced workload to manage burnout;
- 41% prioritised access to quality instructional materials;
- 81% believe smaller class sizes would directly improve learning outcomes.
| Measure | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Stressed teachers citing classroom complexity | 76% |
| Teachers overwhelmed weekly | 69% |
| Considered leaving profession | 52% |
| Lack of resources/support | 67% |
| Overall workload cited | 64% |
| Took sick/personal day due to stress (past 3 months) | 60% |
| Taken extended leave | 14% |
Implications for policy and practice
The findings add to a growing body of evidence that teacher wellbeing is tightly linked to system-level capacity: staffing levels, workload expectations and resource provision. For public authorities and school boards, the report offers concrete targets advocated by educators themselves — more staff in classrooms, fewer demands that fall outside core instruction, and improved access to teaching materials.
For families and students, the survey suggests consequences that reach beyond individual teachers. Teachers who are frequently overwhelmed or who take extended leave can destabilise classroom continuity and affect instructional quality. The large share of teachers who say smaller classes would lift outcomes may renew calls for investment in classroom staffing and infrastructure.
Education Perfect and Angus Reid’s national snapshot does not prescribe specific policies, but it underscores the scale of the challenge: across jurisdictions, addressing teacher retention and wellbeing will likely require coordinated attention to both personnel and the systems that shape daily classroom life.
Policymakers and school boards will face decisions about whether to prioritise hiring, workload reduction strategies or curricular and behavioural supports to ease classroom pressures. The report makes clear that teachers themselves see these operational changes as the most direct path to reducing stress and keeping experienced educators in Canada’s classrooms.
