That principals’ top concerns consistently involved funding should come as no surprise: While many states increased K-12 spending in the past year, the return of funding to pre-recession levels has lagged as demands for tech, the implementation of new standards, the teacher professional development to support these efforts, and more have risen.
Additionally, the relationship between many of the leading concerns cannot be understated. Teacher morale, for example, is directly impacted by factors like student behavior and readiness, families’ economic fragility, professional development opportunities, and pay and benefits — and funding (or lack thereof) has a direct hand in making it possible to address these issues.
