Changes in presidential administrations always create some uncertainty in education and that became immediately evident in DA’s most popular stories of 2024. Much of our most-read news was posted during the campaign and after the election.
Readers were also focused on personnel issues, such as superintendent turnover and working conditions for teachers, and how their districts stacked up against systems in other states.
Here are the 10 most popular stories from District Administration’s website for 2024:
1. The highest-paying states for teachers in 2024
In 2024, the national average starting teacher salary was $44,530. The national average teacher salary was $69,544. “Despite this progress, much work remains to close the teacher pay penalty and address inadequate pay for all educators and finally make the investments at the state and local levels to attract and retain quality educators into community public schools,” an analysis by the National Education Association found. Read the story.
2. What does Trump have in mind for K12 education?
In our past conversations with experts, many have told us that President-elect Donald Trump is not overly focused on K12 education. Arman Jaffer, a policy aide to the chief technology officer during the Trump Administration, argues the Trump administration will not spend much political capital making structural changes to the national education system. Read the story.
3. States with the highest support for public schools: No. 1 may surprise you
Amid today’s political turbulence, support for public schools means more than just funding. A new ranking of the most supportive states also gives lower marks where vouchers are flourishing and instruction has been restricted, among other factors. Read the story.
4. These are the 10 best school districts in the country
The Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125 in Illinois is the top system in the country, according to this year’s rankings. Niche gave it an A+ in five separate areas of measurement, including academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep and administration. Read the story.
5. Here is the No. 1 reason for superintendent turnover
The good news is that superintendents, in districts of all sizes, are most likely to leave of their own volition. A job in another district, retirement, resignation and termination were the main paths of departure tracked by Burbio, the K12 data hub, over the past 12 months. Read the story.
6. Two superintendents you should follow on social media now
Ideas are free, and networking is the cornerstone of educational leadership. That’s why we’re elevating these two leaders who celebrate their districts, unfiltered, on social media for other leaders and their communities. Read the story.
7. This state has banned the most books. Here’s a complete list
Florida banned more books than any other state during the 2023-2024 school year. The state has now released a list of all the titles removed across K12. Books were banned in about half (33) of Florida’s 70 districts, though none were removed from its largest system, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Read the story.
8. Title IX: States line up to defy new K12 LGBTQ protections
No sooner did the Biden administration unveil new Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students than governors and education leaders of several states ordered schools to defy the much-anticipated rule changes. Read the story.
9. Superintendent salaries are being outpaced by inflation amid high demand
For newer and transitioning superintendents, the high turnover since the pandemic means higher salaries as demand for their skills increases. Across the board, however, superintendent salaries lag behind inflation. Read the story.
10. What superintendents agree is the greatest barrier to progress in 2024
Fewer leaders are considering leaving the profession in the next two years. But this shift isn’t due to a more manageable workload. Superintendents still have a lot on their plate in 2024, including one major issue that bars districts from making progress in a variety of pandemic-related issues. Read the story.
