Publications

Link to the full report: Leading Through Change

Summary:

• In Spring 2025, we surveyed principals and superintendents to understand their job satisfaction and well-being and to get their perspectives on the implementation of the LEARNS Act and other education policy changes.
• Overall, we found that principals and superintendents are optimistic about how their schools and districts have implemented recent education policy changes, with over 90% indicating that their school or district has done well implementing required changes.
• Administrators identified the focus on teachers’ salary increases, school safety, and early literacy as the top three areas that are working well.
• On the other hand, administrators identified funding uncertainty, responding to the quantity and speed of change, and educator staffing challenges as the top three challenges for implementing recent state policies.
• Generally, superintendents are more positive about the effects of LEARNS teacher salary changes than principals. Fifty-seven percent of administrators (55% of principals and 63% of superintendents) believe salary changes will help recruit new teachers, while 56% (54% of principals and 63% of superintendents) believe they will help retain teachers.
• Administrators remain concerned about funding. Ninety percent of administrators (90% of principals and 91% of superintendents) agree they are uncertain about the future of state funding.
• Despite these challenges, 89% of principals and 97% of superintendents report they are satisfied with their jobs, and most reported low levels of burnout.
• Nonetheless, being a school leader remains stressful, and 78% of administrators report feeling stressed in their job often or always.

Link: Administrators’ Views of Teacher Salary Changes Under the Arkansas LEARNS Act

SUMMARY

• We surveyed superintendents and principals statewide to understand their perspectives on the salary changes they implemented in response to the LEARNS Act and their future plans related to teacher compensation.
• Administrators reported that the teacher compensation changes required by the LEARNS Act are likely to help them better recruit and retain teachers.
• The primary goals administrators reported they have when designing teacher compensation include: being competitive with nearby districts, retaining existing teachers, and rewarding effective teachers.
• Administrators anticipate offering across-the-board pay increases but also appear open to implementing bonuses for effective teachers in their district.
• Most administrators, 69% of principals and 67% of superintendents, report that their district will likely continue to use traditional salary schedules over the next three years, but a sizable proportion (22% of superintendents and 13% of principals) report that this is very unlikely. This may indicate that a relatively large number of districts in Arkansas are considering alternative teacher compensation plans.
• The primary barriers that district leaders identified to making substantial changes to teacher compensation were related to funding uncertainty. State leaders and policymakers should address this uncertainty and provide compensation design support if they want to promote new and more creative teacher compensation approaches.

Link: Wellbeing and Working Conditions in the Arkansas Teacher Workforce

In the spring of the 2023-2024 school year, we developed the Arkansas Teacher Survey in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Education. The survey was deployed in May of 2024 to a representative sample of Arkansas teachers. A total of 2,721 teachers responded to our survey. The survey included multiple measures of job satisfaction, feelings of success as a teacher, job-related stress, degree of coping with stress, and intentions to leave the profession. Additionally, teachers reported on different supports they received, the level of collaboration with colleagues, the number of hours they worked outside their contract, and their perceived working environment. This research brief discusses the survey’s main results. 

SUMMARY 

• To better support a healthy teacher workforce, it is crucial to understand their job satisfaction, stress, and intentions to leave the profession. 
• While most Arkansas teachers (86%) report being satisfied being an educator, we identify several potential areas for improvement. 
• Teachers report that managing student behavior is their primary source of stress. 
• Thirteen percent (13%) of teachers reported they plan to leave their current school. 
• When asked why they were considering leaving their current school, teachers reported feeling unsupported, lacking influence over school policies, and insufficient planning time. 
• Regular assessments of teacher well-being and job satisfaction can help us identify teachers’ needs and implement effective support measures, ultimately promoting a healthier work environment and enhancing teacher retention.