States were ranked on compensation, work benefits and environment, and student performance by Scholaroo, a college scholarship search website that regularly assesses the K12 landscape with surveys and a lot of number crunching.
District Administration senior writer Matt Zalaznick was there as the superintendents, who represented 21 states, beseeched leaders to provide more financial and political support for mental health services, teacher preparation and retention, and English learners.
Two more school boards in the Deep South fired superintendents last week, but not without a measure of controversy and community pushback. In New Jersey, a district leader was escorted out of his central office.
Despite a brighter outlook after three years of turbulence, superintendents are extremely concerned about staffing issues: "We're in a better place, but teacher shortages could stall progress."
The mounting challenges principals face are producing some conflicting numbers: While 94% are generally satisfied with their job, half say stress is so high they might just change careers or retire.
A quarter of Missouri school districts have already jumped on board in an effort to attract new staff. In Texas, the model's popularity has also grown significantly as teacher satisfaction continues to be a point of concern.
Superintendents and their teams are finding success with strategies deployed to reverse the staff shortages exacerbated by the turbulence of the past few years.
While 66% of leaders say salary was key for teacher morale, 69% think reimagining classrooms and instruction is also essential, according to a new survey from learning company D2L and District Administration.
Teachers need space to heal and to break the pattern of struggle to reconnect with their jobs emotionally. They also need to feel trusted and respected.
