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Exit‑interview analysis: leadership and recognition cited as drivers of turnover; majority would consider returning under changed conditions
Summary
Human resources presented findings from exit interviews for the 2024–25 school year: respondents rated school‑level leadership higher than feeling valued by the district and recommended leadership development, recognition, caseload review and 'stay' interviews.
Executive Director of Human Resources (presenter) summarized exit‑interview data collected from staff who separated from the district during 2024–25. The analysis covered in‑person and online responses and sought to identify patterns that could inform retention strategies.
The HR report said the responses included teachers, specialists and support staff. Quantitatively, the highest average score in the survey was 3.47 for school‑level leadership; the lowest average was 2.76 on the statement “I felt my work was valued by the district.” The presenter said that common reasons for leaving included concerns about leadership at the building or district level, high workloads and difficulties maintaining work‑life balance; staff in special education cited high caseload stress.
The HR director said 76% of respondents indicated they would consider returning to the district under different circumstances, while 25 respondents said they would not return. The presenter recommended a set of actions: invest in leadership development and coaching, improve recognition and staff input opportunities, audit high‑demand roles (especially special education) to address caseload and wellness protections, and introduce mid‑year stay interviews to identify issues before they result in resignation.
Board members asked about response rate and benchmarks for turnover reduction. HR said online survey responses numbered 31 for the initial instrument and that, combined with in‑person interviews, the effective response pool covered roughly 45–50 of the 129 separations that year. The HR director said the department would refine the exit process, pursue leadership development cycles and roll out staying/leadership surveys in the coming year to measure progress.
The board asked HR to follow up with historical separation counts and to bring proposals for leadership development and stay‑interview design to the board in the fall.
