Every district has data. Far fewer have the story behind it.

Test scores, attendance, retention, and other measures tell district leaders what is happening. But they don’t always explain why. That’s where listening matters.

Every employee experiences the system through a unique lens. From veteran teachers to first-year paraprofessionals, transportation staff, and building custodians, each role offers a distinct perspective on how the district functions daily. Together, these perspectives tell the narrative behind the data. By listening early in the year, district leaders can understand what’s working, identify challenges, and provide support before small issues become bigger problems.

The Educator Voice Report: 2025-2026 State of Educator Experience shares findings from 9,122 structured rounding conversations across partner districts nationwide. These conversations offer a clear, candid look at what educators experience at the start of the year, and how district leaders can use those insights to strengthen culture and performance.

Build on What’s Working

When educators and other district employees talk about what’s working, two things rise to the top: seeing students succeed and working with supportive colleagues.

The Educator Voice Report shows what employees value most in their work:

• Student Growth & Learning: 39% of employees identified student growth, learning, relationships, and success as the most meaningful part of their work.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: 27% of employees identified collaboration and teamwork as a key source of purpose in their work.

These findings give district leaders a clear place to start. Strong organizations are sustained by trust, shared purpose, and strong professional connections. Principals and central office leaders can build on these strengths by recognizing bright spots during staff meetings and other conversations. Celebrating collaborative wins and acknowledging the difference employees are making for students helps reinforce what’s already working.

Pay Attention to What’s Getting in the Way

As the school year gets busy, time and workload can quickly become a challenge. The Educator Voice Report findings show just how consistently those pressures affect employees across the school year. Time and workload emerged as the most common barrier employees said gets in the way of doing their best work:

• Time & Workload: 27% of district employees identified time and workload as their top barrier.
• Leading Barrier: Time and workload were cited more than twice as often as any other barrier.
• Consistent Throughout the Year: Time and workload remained the top barrier throughout the year.

District leaders understand there is only so much time in the day. Adding new district initiatives in September or October can put even more pressure on an already busy system. Instead of adding new programs, leaders can focus on streamlining existing obligations, clarifying core priorities, and protecting instructional time. That might mean auditing meeting schedules, consolidating administrative requests, or eliminating redundant reporting tasks. Protecting time allows staff to focus their energy directly on instruction and student support.

Listen, Then Act: What Employees Need From Leaders

When district leaders think about how to better support employees, the answer can sometimes seem like more resources, tools, or programs. While those things matter, the research reveals that employees also place significant value on direct, consistent leadership support.

When staff members describe the support they need most from leadership, their requests focus on engagement and visibility:

• Check-ins & Presence: 23% of employees named leadership check-ins and presence as the most requested form of support.
• Nothing Needed; Fully Supported: 20% of employees reported needing no additional support.
• Time & Scheduling: 19% of employees identified time and scheduling as an area where leaders could help.

These findings highlight the value of structured listening. By asking three straightforward questions across schools and departments, leaders can gather insights they can act on while demonstrating visible support:

• What’s going well?
• What’s getting in the way?
• How can I help?

Consistent presence helps build trust. Visiting school buildings, spending time with teams, and checking in with employees helps leaders better understand what they experience day to day. Leadership rounding is one of the proven practices we use to strengthen trust, uncover barriers, recognize success, and transform employee voice into organizational improvement. K12 Rounding® supports that work by helping leaders capture insights, identify trends, and turn conversations into action.

Ongoing listening helps leaders identify and respond to needs before they become larger challenges. These conversations help leaders move beyond assumptions, better understand what employees are experiencing, and make more informed decisions about where attention is needed.

What story is your district’s data not telling you?

Download The Educator Voice Report: 2025-2026 State of Educator Experience to explore the full findings, then complete the complimentary 2-minute District Benchmark Assessment to see how your district compares with the national research.