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Grants spotlight and exit data show turnover dip but highlight pay, workload and support concerns
Summary
The board received a grants status update and an exit‑interview summary showing turnover fell to under 12.5%; exit responses cited personal reasons, retirement and compensation as top drivers, while secondary responses flagged workload, student behavior and leadership as areas needing attention.
The board reviewed two related administrative briefings July 14: a grants report and a human resources exit‑data summary.
Grants: Grant manager Renee Daniels reported April 1–June 30 requests totaling $665,884 and awards of $124,535 in that window. Year‑to‑date the grants office applied for 43 grants and received 19 awards, totaling $768,288 for the prior school year. Daniels told the board she will flag grants that include staffing so trustees can consider budget impacts when awards expire.
Exit data: Chief HR Officer Amy Williams presented 2024–25 separation data. The formal resignation form produced a 91% response rate (405 responses) and the optional, more detailed exit interview yielded 64 open responses. Primary reasons for leaving were family/personal matters, retirement (78 responses), relocation (56) and taking positions in other Virginia school divisions (52). While salary did not top the primary list, compensation and benefits were the leading incentive that would have encouraged employees to stay when asked.
Williams highlighted themes from open responses: workload and student behavior concerns (notably among early‑career and high‑needs roles), the importance of leadership and professional support, and a desire for clearer communication during compensation modernization. She said the division’s teacher compensation modernization likely helped retain some employees who otherwise might have left prior to budget approvals.
Board members asked for tracking of grants that create ongoing positions and asked HR to add a free‑text field to the stay/retention question going forward to capture ideas for what would have kept employees.
What’s next: staff will include staffing implications for grant awards in future grant reports and continue to use exit data to shape induction, mentoring and leadership development priorities.
