Kellen and his classmates, including his best friend Nolan Robbins (left), learn about the structure of the U.S. government with teacher Robyn Fox. Katrina Ward for NPR Closed subtitles
This is the teacher’s appreciation week - educators often receive apples, cups and gift cards from students and their families.
But union leaders say that for many teachers, gratitude has not made up for the financial difficulties and pressure they faced for the rest of the year.
K-12 teachers have been dealing with multiple challenges for years in underfunded schools such as low-paying, large class sizes and outstanding student supply and snack expenses.
The coalition leaders say that now, a careful scrutiny of their teaching methods and the Trump administration’s rulings for the federal government’s cuts for schools and education programs has frustrated many teachers.
"It's a crisis for our country. We need to have teachers," said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association. "So when we ended the year, our teachers felt overwhelmed, which is a very concern and was discouraged by the lack of support in too many places."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for public K-12 schools is about $62,000.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that their skills and the time they are committed to working, public school teachers earn 24% more than their current salary in non-teaching jobs in the private sector.
But teachers often stay in the profession “because they are changing the lives of their children,” she said.
According to the Census Bureau, in 2021, about 82% of American students attend public schools. But Weningarten said there are not enough teachers in public schools to provide adequate services to millions of children.
More and more teachers mean smaller class sizes, which provides children with greater opportunities to meet their personal needs. This also ensures students receive a comprehensive education, she said.
“If you don’t have a physics teacher because of a shortage and the kids want to do physics or need physics, that will affect the kids,” she said. “If you don’t have a computer science teacher, that will affect the kids.”
President Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in K-12 schools and eliminating the Department of Education. According to census data, the education department provided about 13.6% of funding to public K-12 schools in the fiscal year 2022.
The department is also responsible for safeguarding the rights of students with disabilities.
Trump demanded that the federal budget be cut to the education sector in fiscal 2026, totaling about $12 billion, or about 15% of current funds. The biggest part of these cuts is reducing K-12 funds by more than $4.5 billion.
The White House said the budget proposal “provides states with simplified, flexible funding directly” and would reduce the federal government’s costs of managing funds and enforcing compliance.
"When you see the federal government, this administration threatens to withdraw these funds, and does not threaten them at all to threaten us as educators, who are the people who teach the truth about the history of our nation and the impact it has today," Pringle said.
Pringle estimates teachers spend about $450 a year on students, while Weingarten says that number is as high as $1,000.
Pringle, who taught eighth grade science for 31 years, said she remembers traveling to the grocery store to buy vinegar and baking soda for students’ science projects. She added that the postal code also affects school district funding, so teachers in low-income areas end up providing more financial services to their students.
“When they don’t have enough time yet, they take their pockets from their family’s budget, that’s not OK,” she said. “This country needs to fulfill its promise to children and provide resources that our teachers need to do the work they love.”
Pringle encourages students and their families to return support to teachers by writing letters and emailing their representatives and senators, posting on social media and personalizing gifts they give during teacher appreciation week.
She said: "Put a handwritten note in that cup and said, 'You know what? We see you, we care about you.'
Weingarten added: "You see over and over again people in the community know the importance of teachers and the importance of public schools. That's why teachers are one of the most trusted professions in the country. But, more than just one year, they need to be supported 365 days a year."