Canadian educators' post-pandemic recovery and students’ unmet needs: Who is left behind?

We investigated post-pandemic recovery in education sector employees by role in 2024. The frameworks of the job demands-resources model and ecological systems theory were employed. Canadian educators ( N = 243) completed surveys exploring their mental health (well-being, resilience, recovery), intention to leave their jobs, and their perceptions of students' current and post-pandemic needs. Quantitative findings revealed educators who intended to leave their jobs had poorer levels of mental health. Also, they were not meeting their students’ needs adequately. The qualitative data showed that students with complex needs were disproportionally under-served. Theoretical, practical, and policy implications on equitable education are discussed. • This Canadian study of 243 educators investigated the relationship between educators' mental health and intention to leave their jobs. • Educators' perceptions of students' post-pandemic needs as well as their ability to meet them were examined. • The vast majority of educators perceived greater post-pandemic academic, social and behavioural student needs and over a third of educators never or rarely met these needs. • Across roles, 20%–45.5% of educators were planning to leave their jobs. • Educators who intended to leave their jobs indicated poorer levels of well-being and resilience. They also indicated significantly higher perceptions of post-pandemic levels of students' academic needs, and indicated that they were meeting their students' needs significantly less often. • The qualitative data indicated that students with disabilities in particular were disproportionally under-served.