"The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Teachers, Parents and the Economy" (2011) examines the teaching profession and parent-school engagement at a time when there has been a prolonged economic downturn. The survey explores how teachers, parents and schools are working together to promote student learning and healthy development in the context of reduced budgets, reallocation of resources, and continued attention to improving teaching and learning. These issues are examined from the perspectives of teachers, parents and students. Findings reveal that teachers are less satisfied with their careers; in the past two years there has been a significant decline in teachers' satisfaction with their profession. The effects of the economic downturn are felt widely and deeply in education. Parent engagement has increased in the past 25 years but remains a challenge for many schools. The survey documents--from the perspectives of teachers, parents and students--how schools and parents can and do effectively collaborate to promote student learning, and how factors such as parent engagement and the economy are associated with teacher job satisfaction. Appended are: (1) Methodology; and (2) Questionnaires. (Contains 19 figures and 24 endnotes.)