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APS reports improved retention and Gallup award as engagement remains an area for growth
Summary
Chief Human Resources Officer Felicia Lester reported APS engagement at 54% and teacher retention at 90.3%; the district earned the 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workforce Award and outlined strengths-based coaching and principal supports while the board pressed for targeted plans to close engagement gaps.
Felicia Lester, Atlanta Public Schools chief human resources officer, told the board the districtreported two KPIs central to the district's engagement strategy: staff engagement measured by Gallup Q12 at 54% (above a 53.8% goal) and teacher retention at 90.3% (surpassing an 86% goal). Lester noted APS received the 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workforce Award for its strengths-based workplace efforts.
Lester described a three-part approach: empowering leaders through strengths coaching and professional development, supporting employee experience and well-being, and providing measurable supports and monitoring at the school level. "Engagement is the degree employees feel valued, supported, and connected to the APS vision," she said, and tied improvement in engagement to recruitment and retention gains.
Principal Tekisha Hollis of David T. Howard Middle School credited strengths coaching with raising staff retention at her school from 57% to 85% in one year and improving school climate and student attendance. "Through structured collaboration, targeted coaching, and consistent communication, we built a shared language for how we best work together," Hollis said.
Board members pressed staff on how the district would shrink the gap between engagement and retention (noting engaged employees are a subset of retained employees), how survey results are circulated and acted on at school level, and what the board can do to support principals. District staff described a talent dashboard for principals, targeted school improvement actions tied to engagement data, and expanded internal coaching capacity (about 30 in-house strength coaches with plans to recruit more).
The board directed staff to provide additional follow-up materials showing district- and school-level breakdowns of professional learning participation and survey response follow-up. No formal action was taken; the presentation concluded with staff confirming continued monitoring and school-level supports.
