The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 64% of adults believe being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in our country today. A fifth of adults (20%) disagree. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of women along with 59% of men.

The same survey also found 80% of adults say their teachers were at least somewhat important in shaping the direction of their lives. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say teachers were Very Important in that regard. Just 14% say teachers were not very important in shaping their lives, while just 3% said they were not at all important.

Over half of adults (57%) believe teachers are paid too little for what they do. Just 10% say teachers are overpaid while 26% say they are paid the right amount of money for what they do.

Democrats and Republicans disagree somewhat on that issue. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Democrats say teachers are underpaid, while 47% of Republicans agree. Thirty-four percent (34%) of GOPs say teachers are paid the right amount, while just 18% of Democrats think the same.

Most adults (62%) say public school education has gotten worse over the past 10 years. Nineteen-percent (19%) say it has gotten better. Most (53%) also say private schools provide a better education than public schools.

A separate national survey found that 61% of Likely Voters consider education to be a Very Important issue in the upcoming presidential race.

This is National Teachers’ Week.

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