Reimagining the Employee Value Proposition in Independent Schools is a sector-wide study of educators across the SAIS association membership. The study seeks to understand how independent school educators experience motivation, engagement, and meaning in their work—and how those experiences shape retention, well-being, and workplace culture over time.
Analysis of responses from 1,558 educators reveals a central tension between a strong sense of shared purpose and structural vulnerabilities that threaten long-term workplace sustainability.
Shared Purpose: What would you say are the top reasons you remain employed at this school?
The relational bonds within independent schools are notably strong. Survey results show that educators are able to form genuine friendships and experience a meaningful sense of belonging. When individuals feel known, valued, and connected, the decision to leave the community carries greater weight.
Critical Vulnerabilities: The results of the study amplify three interdependent vulnerabilities that can undermine the strongest mission-centered organizations.
1. Unsustainable Workload: Only 63% find workload manageable, with 20.9% explicitly disagreeing. This finding represents the most significant risk identified in the study. Unlike compensation, which often reflects a conscious tradeoff in service of mission, workload pressures affect daily well-being and sustainability. Educators may feel deeply connected to their school, aligned with its mission, and supported by colleagues, yet still reach a point where the demands of the role are difficult to sustain over time, leading some to step away despite strong commitment.
2. Compensation Gap: Only 45.7% find compensation competitive. As long as educators can afford to prioritize mission over market rate, this works. But as housing costs rise and family obligations increase, more faculty reach a point where financial reality overrides mission alignment. School leaders are competing not just with other schools, but with careers that pay market wages.
3. Career Pathway Vacuum: Only 33.8% see clear advancement opportunities. Schools are attracting ambitious, growth-oriented people (89.3% seek learning opportunities; 94.4% engaged in PD) but not showing them how to progress professionally within one’s organization. For any educator, especially mid-career who have invested years building relationships and expertise, this creates a painful choice between community and career.
Taken together, the findings present a clear mandate: SAIS schools are rich in mission-driven talent, but sustaining this strength requires intentional investment in workload sustainability, supervisory capacity, and organizational alignment. The challenge is not attracting educators who care deeply, but ensuring that the systems, leadership practices, and support structures are strong enough to honor and sustain that commitment over time.
Eight Essential Employee Value Proposition Reflections for School Leaders
Based on the findings of this study, the following reflections offer a roadmap for strengthening the employee value proposition (EVP) in ways that honor both organizational mission and educator well-being:
When educators’ roles and expectations align with their strengths, values, and capacity, engagement and commitment are sustained over time. As workloads expand, engagement erodes well before educators decide to leave.
Protecting educators’ time is essential to sustaining engagement, effectiveness, and well-being. Clear priorities, fewer and more purposeful demands, and built-in planning time help reduce workload creep and prevent burnout, particularly for early-career educators.
Educators want clear opportunities to grow without having to leave the classroom or move into administration. When growth pathways are visible, valued, and discussed early, commitment strengthens.
Regular, meaningful recognition and feedback help educators feel seen, supported, and confident in their work. When appreciation and developmental feedback are part of everyday practice, engagement strengthens and the risk of disengagement declines.
Educators do not expect perfect compensation, but they do expect honesty and clarity about where pay stands and where it is headed. When leaders clearly name current realities and share a credible path forward, trust and commitment increase even before compensation improves.
Educators are more likely to stay when leadership is visible, supportive, and consistently present in daily school life. Trust is built through follow-through, clear communication, and advocacy for educators.
Strong relationships with colleagues, teams, and leaders are among the most powerful drivers of engagement and retention. When schools intentionally invest in connection, trust, and belonging, educators are far more likely to remain and thrive.
Educators often make significant personal tradeoffs that go unspoken or unaddressed in daily school life. When schools acknowledge these demands and balance commitment with care, trust strengthens and the risk of quiet burnout is reduced.
Community and purpose brought educators to independent schools. Workload sustainability, competitive compensation, and career pathways will determine whether they can afford to stay.
The full report with extensive qualitative and quantitative data is available to download.
