The Delta Issue #84

There Is No Teacher Quality Without Teacher Quality of Life

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Hi y’all, Jessica here.

We’re hearing a lot about the affordability crisis in America right now, but we’re not always connecting it to what’s happening in our classrooms.

We know that teachers are the most important in-school factor in student success. So if we’re struggling to recruit and retain great talent, that’s not just a workforce issue; it’s fundamental to whether students thrive.

For many educators, the decision to enter—or stay in—the profession increasingly comes down to everyday realities. Can you afford rent on a teacher’s salary? Can you take time off when you have a child? Can you make it work without taking on a second job?

Right now, more than 70% of teachers rely on second jobs just to get by, and starting a family often comes down to how many sick days they’ve saved. The system isn’t working, and when teachers struggle, the cost is ultimately borne by students, families, and communities.

This week, I’m joined by Heather Peske , President of the National Council on Teacher Quality . We talk about why there is no teacher quality without teacher quality of life, and what states and systems can do differently to better support the educators students rely on every day.

Watch our full conversation below.

The transcript below has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Jessica: Hello everyone, and welcome to The Delta. I’m Jessica Baghian , President of Watershed Advisors .

As part of our Women’s History Month series, we’re highlighting women shaping education leadership. Today, I’m joined by my longtime friend and colleague, Heather Peske , President of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).

Heather began her career as an elementary school teacher in Louisiana and has since worked across national policy, advocacy, and state leadership. Prior to NCTQ, she served as Senior Associate Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Education , helping lead educator preparation and instructional policy in one of the highest-performing states in the country.

Heather, we both started as elementary school teachers. What first drew you into teaching?

Heather Peske: I’ve always loved teaching. I was the kid who played school at home. I wanted to make a difference, and teaching felt like the most direct way to do that.

Teach For America brought me to Baton Rouge, but teaching is also part of my family. My grandmother was a teacher, reading specialist, and principal. My great-grandmother taught in New Orleans. That belief in the power of teaching runs deep for me.

Why Teacher Experience Matters for Student Outcomes

Jessica: NCTQ focuses on teacher quality, but so much of your work looks at teachers’ quality of life. How do those connect?

Heather: They’re inseparable.

If we want great teaching for students, we need to attract and keep great teachers. That means paying attention to the conditions they work in.

I think of it like building a great team. You need strong leadership, fair compensation, clear roles, and support. If we want a “dream team” of teachers, we have to design a profession where people can succeed and stay.

How The Teaching Profession Has Changed

Jessica: What does teaching look like today compared to when we were in the classroom?

Heather: A lot has changed.

We now have much stronger research on how students learn, and we’re seeing that show up in classrooms, especially through efforts like the science of reading.

At the same time, classrooms are more complex. There’s greater inclusion of students with disabilities, more multilingual learners, and a growing expectation that teachers can meet a wide range of needs.

And of course, technology, and now AI, has changed the landscape entirely. There’s real promise there, but also real questions about how it’s used.

The Reality of Teacher Affordability

Jessica: Affordability is dominating national conversations right now, and it’s hitting teachers hard. Your team has done important research here—what stands out?

Heather: One example is paid parental leave. We looked at policies across all 50 states and found that only two, Delaware and Arkansas, offer fully paid 12-week parental leave for teachers, while also covering the cost of substitutes.

We have a situation in America where teachers are hoarding sick days, working while sick, or trying to time pregnancies around the school calendar. We wouldn’t accept that in other professions.

This isn’t just about fairness; it’s about outcomes. Paid parental leave improves child development, reduces infant mortality, and helps retain employees.

We should be treating it as a core strategy for building and sustaining the teacher workforce.

Jessica: Beyond parental leave, what are states missing?

Heather: Housing is a huge issue. From 2019 to 2025, teacher salaries increased by about 24%. But rental costs went up 51%, and home prices rose 47%.

Teachers simply can’t afford to live where they work, especially in urban areas. That leads to long commutes, weaker community connections, and ultimately, teachers leaving the profession.

If we’re serious about strengthening the workforce, housing has to be part of the conversation.

What the Best States Are Doing Differently

Jessica: What are the strongest states doing to build a better teacher workforce?

Heather: The best states are clear and intentional.

They set strong expectations for teacher preparation, defining what teachers should know and be able to do, and holding programs accountable for delivering on that.

They also use resources more strategically. For example, many states still spend heavily on salary bumps for master’s degrees, even though those degrees aren’t strongly linked to better student outcomes. That funding could be redirected toward incentives—like higher pay for high-need subjects or regions.

And finally, they focus on curriculum: identifying high-quality materials and supporting teachers to implement them well.

It’s about building a coherent system, not a collection of disconnected policies.

Advice for Women in Education Leadership

Jessica: What advice would you give to women who want to step into leadership roles in education?

Heather:

1. First, teach, if you haven’t already. It gives you credibility and perspective you can’t get any other way.
2. Second, choose your boss carefully. Your boss is your teacher. The people you work for will shape how you lead.
3. And third, lift up other women. Bring them into the room, collaborate, and create more pathways for leadership. That’s how we build lasting change.

Jessica: Who is one woman in education people should be following right now?

Heather: Kaya Henderson .

She’s doing powerful work focused on youth voice. One thing she said recently stuck with me: If you’re designing the future without young people in the room, you’re doing it wrong.

That’s a mindset we need across education.

Jessica: Heather, thank you so much for your leadership and your time.

For those watching, you can find this conversation—and others in our Women’s History Month series—on The Delta, available on LinkedIn and your favorite podcast platforms.