Why are New Jersey teachers unhappy?

It comes as little surprise to Paige Vaccaro that New Jersey is second in the nation with teachers who are "actively disengaged" from their jobs, a description in a recent Gallup poll that describes teachers who are unhappy to the point they undermine the work of their colleagues.

About 16 percent of New Jersey teachers are actively disengaged, second only to Florida in terms of professional dissatisfaction in the classroom, according to Gallup interviews with more than 16,000 teachers between 2011 and 2014.

Vaccaro, 35, understands the unhappiness, because she resigned last year from her teaching job in Ocean Township (Monmouth County) schools, a job she held for eight years.

"I think it (the Gallup poll figure) is a fair number," said Vaccaro. "I think teachers are used to changing reforms — or changing demands — on them."

State-mandated testing, lack of teacher autonomy in the classroom, and intense academic pressure on young children are some of the factors Vaccarro believes are driving teacher dissatisfaction in New Jersey.

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In New Jersey, only 25 percent of teachers were found to be "engaged," or enthusiastic about and committed to their work, according to Gallup poll. Nearly 60 percent of teachers were found to be "not engaged," mean they could be satisfied by their jobs, but were "not emotionally connected to their workplaces and are unlikely to devote much discretionary effort to their work," according to Gallup researchers.

New Jersey's figures are not far behind the national average, said Steve Wollmer, communications director of the New Jersey Education Association, the state's largest teachers union. Nationwide, about 31 percent of teachers were engaged and 12 percent were actively disengaged, according to Gallup.

"We just came off of five years of a governor who's done nothing but denigrate teachers, defund schools, blame them for the state's economy, cut their pensions, (and) increase their health costs," said Wollmer. "Teachers are feeling pretty beaten up by this governor."

The emphasis on high stakes testing — which guides classroom activities and plays a roll in teacher evaluations — is the newest element pushing educational professionals into other careers or early retirement, Wollmer said. Increasing pension and healthcare contributions also mean teachers are making less money than they did years ago, he added.

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The state-mandated 2-percent cap on school tax levy increases is another factor forcing schools to increase class sizes and hold down salaries, Wollmer said.

He said he was not surprised by the poll results, which reflect how "dispirited" New Jersey teachers have become.

"The whole profession is just being beaten up," he said. "It's taken a toll on people who are currently in it and on people who are considering it."

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Amanda Oglesby: 732-557-5701; aoglesby@app.com