By: Jody Buchheit Spolar, USHCA Partner & Danielle Pickens, USHCA Chief Program Officer
When leaders in a mid-sized suburban district in the Northeast saw the writing on the wall—declining enrollment, academic outcomes falling short of goals, and tightening budgets—they chose to act before they were forced to. Instead of waiting for financial pressures to trigger reactive cuts, they took a proactive, values-driven look at their greatest investment: their people.
They asked a fundamental question: “Do our staffing practices reflect our priorities and position us for both student success and long-term sustainability?”
Revealing the Story in the Data
To find answers, the district partnered with USHCA to conduct a comprehensive Sustainable Staffing Assessment focused on two key areas that shape both student experience and financial health: class sizes and teacher utilization.
The results were illuminating.
At the middle school level, class sizes varied dramatically. Some teachers had overcrowded classrooms while others regularly taught groups under 10. Often the smaller classes were non-academic or elective courses despite a district goal to improve academic outcomes. By rebalancing schedules—without exceeding policy limits—the district identified opportunities to consolidate dozens of sections, revealing capacity that could be redirected toward higher-impact areas and potential savings to address academic and financial imperatives.
At the high school, the story was similar. Over 60 courses enrolled fewer than 10 students, and an analysis of teacher schedules revealed the equivalent of 33 open teaching periods across departments.
Collectively, these insights uncovered significant capacity. Savings from the reduction/elimination of under enrolled classes alone represented over a half million dollars in employment costs that could be realigned to advance district priorities, without disruptive cuts.
From Insight to Informed Decisions
The process gave district leaders a clear-eyed view, and strategic options, to make teacher staffing more efficient and, at the same time, contribute more directly to desired outcomes based on their own context, values, and goals.
Among the actionable recommendations they explored as a result of their assessment were:
- Establishing clear class size guidelines to guide course offerings
- Creating fair, balanced teaching schedules across departments
- Strategically managing low-enrollment courses through consolidation or alternate delivery
- Developing a playbook to guide decisions when staff retire or resign
- Encouraging multiple certifications to expand scheduling flexibility
Each recommendation was just that—a possibility to consider, not a directive. District leaders remained in full control of how and whether to act. The process equipped them with the clarity and confidence to navigate tough decisions, build internal alignment, and communicate transparently with their community.
Could Your District Benefit?
Every district faces unique challenges, but all can benefit from aligning staffing practices with priorities and goals. A Sustainable Staffing Assessment:
- Creates a clear picture of your current state through comprehensive data analysis
- Identifies specific opportunities for both efficiency and effectiveness
- Presents strategic options for resource allocation that support your district’s values
- Provides data-informed approaches to build consensus around necessary changes
Rather than making staffing decisions reactively or based on historical patterns, districts that embrace sustainable staffing are discovering they can be both more efficient and more effective at supporting student success for the long-term.
Ready to transform how your district approaches staffing? Contact USHCA to discuss your unique needs and unlock the potential of sustainable staffing.