Boone County superintendent highlights high employee satisfaction in district stay interviews

The Boone County superintendent’s office presented results from a districtwide “stay interview” initiative that sought feedback from long-tenured employees and staff in milestone years. The district said it conducted 260 stay interviews this cycle and intends to expand the program in future years.

Eric Ball, who led the stay-interview effort, told the board that 92.7% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed they are satisfied working for Boone County Schools (national average cited at 62%). He also reported 91.1% of employees would recommend the district as an employer (national average 53%), 89.2% said they are enthusiastic about coming to work (national average 31%) and 94.6% said they intend to continue working with the district (national average cited 72%). Ball said the interviews combined scaled questions and seven open-ended prompts and that common positive themes included the district’s student-centered focus, supportive environment, benefits and opportunities for professional growth.

Superintendent Jordan Haswalt said the district used the interviews to identify priorities ranging from consistent communications to clearer change management. Haswalt said the stay-interview results are being used to inform human resources work, orientation efforts and facility improvements. He and Ball said the interviews are intended to drive retention and that the district will publish a fuller summary for board review.

Board members noted the district’s recent increases in starting teacher pay (referenced as raising a base above $50,000 for certain ranks) and hourly wages for classified staff as complementing the retention work. Ball and Haswalt said procedural follow-up will include scheduling future interviews and sharing more detailed findings with principals and district committees.