Insights from nearly 800 K-12 administrators nationwide highlight trends in staffing, student support, and budget planning
[Wayne, PA] (March 11, 2025) – Frontline Education, a leading provider of administration software
purpose-built for educators in K-12, today announced the release of K-12 Lens: Key Trends in Teacher Retention, Student Support, and Budget Confidence, the second annual survey report providing essential insights into the state of K-12 education. The survey, which gathered responses from nearly 800 school district administrators across 49 states and Washington D.C., offers a comprehensive snapshot of the most pressing challenges and notable improvements within the K-12 sector.
Among the report’s most noteworthy findings include:
- Teacher Shortages: Teacher shortages continue to impact many districts, but the situation appears to be improving. The percentage of districts reporting teacher shortages decreased from 81% in the 2024 report to 66% in the 2025 report. Despite the improvement, critical roles, especially special educators and substitutes, remain difficult to fill.
- Teacher Retention: A larger percentage of districts this year said that teacher retention has become easier than last year, with the average retention rate at 78%. Districts that invest in professional development tailored to teachers’ needs and goals are experiencing the highest success in keeping educators in the classroom.
- Student Support: Chronic absenteeism has emerged as a significant challenge, with 17% of students on average reported as chronically absent. However, districts with in-house mental and behavioral health services report significantly lower absenteeism rates (34% in districts without mental and behavioral health services; 24% in districts without in-house nursing). Additionally, fewer districts are leveraging early warning systems, but those that do in grades 1-5 see lower rates of chronic absenteeism.
- Budget Confidence: Districts are seeing greater confidence in their budget projections, with a 15% increase in confidence over the past year. Finance leaders using analytics tools report 93% accuracy in their budget forecasts, enabling better resource allocation and more effective planning.
“We understand the unique challenges facing K-12 districts, and K-12 Lens provides school leaders with insights directly from nearly 800 administrators across the country,” said Matt Strazza, CEO of Frontline Education. “This report equips leaders with the data they need to make informed, data-driven decisions at a time when uncertainty around federal funding and the Department of Education’s priorities continues to evolve. By highlighting key trends in staffing, student support, and budgeting, we aim to empower districts to leverage these findings to drive meaningful change and support student success.”
To further support district leaders, K-12 Lens also explores how schools are adapting to shifting financial landscapes, the evolving role of data-driven decision-making, and the increasing use of technology to streamline operations. The report, fielded by C+C research firm, provides a research-backed perspective on the strategies districts are employing to address both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities in K-12 education.
To read the full research brief, visit here.
About Frontline Education
Frontline Education is a leading provider of school administration software, connecting solutions for student and special programs, business operations and human capital management with powerful analytics to empower educators. Frontline partners with school systems to deliver tools, data and insights that support greater efficiency and productivity, enabling school leaders to spend more time and resources executing strategies that drive educator effectiveness, student success and district excellence.
Frontline’s broad portfolio includes solutions for proactive recruiting and hiring, absence and time management, professional growth, student information systems, special education, special programs, Medicaid reimbursement, school health management, inventory control and asset management, payroll benefits and financial management, and analytics solutions that help district leaders tap into their data to make more informed decisions for the benefit of their students and communities. Over 10,000 clients representing millions of educators, administrators and support personnel have partnered with Frontline Education in their efforts to develop the next generation of learners.