Well-Being Is for Everyone

The Adults Are Not Alright

Educator well-being is at the heart of a thriving school. Yet, in many schools, the well-being of educators is treated as an afterthought, resulting in widespread burnout, high turnover, and low morale. The focus these days is on the students and their well-being—and while that’s essential, we are overlooking a critical factor: the health and sustainability of the adults.

The reality is that when educators are depleted, overworked, and unsupported, their ability to teach well diminishes. A struggling teacher cannot provide the kind of energy, creativity, or focus required to nurture a diverse classroom. Schools need to fundamentally rethink how they approach the well-being of their staff, moving beyond surface-level solutions and addressing the systemic issues that contribute to the problem.

The Realities of Educator Burnout

Ms. Estrella, a dedicated middle school teacher with over a decade of experience, was once passionate about her work. But in recent years, the demands on her skyrocketed. First, the inclusion specialist working with her students left after just two months, and inexperienced substitutes cycled in and out, disrupting student engagement. Then, because she had attended a summer conference on the new literacy curriculum, she was expected to lead her department's professional development—a task that took valuable time away from her own planning. As one of the few Spanish speakers, she was also asked to take over an after-school program when the previous instructor went on mental health leave. On top of that, she was appointed a mentor for new teachers—a role she had initially been excited about, but quickly realized the workload far outweighed the course release time she was given.

By the end of the school year, Ms. Estrella felt completely drained and demoralized, questioning whether she could continue in a profession she had once loved.

Ms. Estrella’s experience isn’t unique. Teachers across the U.S. are leaving in alarming numbers, citing stress, burnout, and lack of support as key reasons. An Education Week/Merrimack College national survey found that teacher mental health has declined in the past year, which negatively impacts their work experiences. The results of this survey reflect a system that fails to prioritize the people who make learning possible.

Why Well-Being Matters for Everyone

Educator well-being is not just a “nice to have”—it’s necessary for the success of an entire school community. American Institutes for Research studies show that when teachers feel supported, they are more effective in the classroom. Their students perform better academically and are more engaged. Beyond academics, the emotional health of the students is deeply connected to the emotional stability of their teachers. In short, happy and healthy teachers create happy and healthy students.

But the benefits of focusing on educator well-being go beyond the classroom. Schools that invest in their staff see higher retention rates, better morale, and a more positive school climate. Teachers who feel valued and supported are more likely to stay in the profession and contribute meaningfully to their school communities. Conversely, burnout leads to more frequent absenteeism, disengagement, cynicism, and eventual departure (at any time of the school year), leaving schools scrambling to fill vacancies—and leaving students without consistent, high-quality instruction.

A Call for Systemic Change

Current approaches to educator well-being are reactive and insufficient. Too often, we wait until educators like Ms. Estrella are at their breaking point before someone intervenes. Schools might offer wellness gift cards or self-care days as short-term fixes, but these don’t address the deeper structural issues at play.

We need a proactive, systemic shift in how schools support educators. This means reducing administrative burdens and “initiative creep,” assessing and addressing more realistic demands on teachers’ time, paying educators more, and providing mental health resources when needed. Leaders must move beyond one-off gestures of appreciation and embed well-being into the foundations of school culture. Regular check-ins, equitable workloads, and access to professional support are not extras—they are essential components of a healthy school.

Moreover, there needs to be greater emphasis on equity in well-being efforts. Educators of color, in particular, face unique challenges, including the additional emotional labor of navigating racial dynamics and being asked to take on “invisible” work related to diversity initiatives. A system that values well-being must also recognize and address these disparities to ensure that all teachers are supported. 

High Expectations for Educator Well-Being

Effective school leadership is key to fostering well-being. Leaders set the tone for how staff are treated, how workloads are managed, and whether support is available when needed. Instead of waiting for the inevitable burnout that typically occurs, leaders can take proactive steps to cultivate caring cultures, which may include streamlining responsibilities, encouraging boundaries, and creating space for teachers to share concerns and feedback.

In Ms. Estrella’s case, a proactive leadership approach could have recognized how much she had taken on, checked in on her morale, and adjusted her responsibilities to ensure she wasn’t overwhelmed. When leadership prioritizes the well-being of educators, it shows that their humanity is valued, which increases retention, engagement, and self-efficacy.

Teacher well-being should be a foundational element of any school’s vision. Embedding well-being into the core operations of school could not only improve the lives of teachers but create better models for young people—and what it looks like to take care of one another.

Of course, none of these are quick fixes; they are about long-term cultural change. Schools must envision conditions in which taking care of teachers is essential to taking care of students. The adults are not alright, but they could be if we commit to making their well-being a priority.