MOVING BEYOND SELF-CARE - Practice and Policy Conditions to Support Educator Wellbeing

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle

Moving Beyond Self-Care examines how educators’ wellbeing is declining and how rising mental health concerns require more than individual coping. It reviews evidence relevant to educator wellbeing, outlines policy and practice mechanisms that shape outcomes, and distinguishes workplace conditions and individual factors. The paper offers a framework for educator wellbeing and provides considerations for state leaders to guide effective, equitable supports through aligned state and local actions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages53

Reading Time2 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Introduction

Defining Educator Wellbeing

Articulating the Importance of Educator Wellbeing

Building a Framework for Educator Wellbeing

Working Conditions That Influence Educator Wellbeing

Individual Factors That Influence Educator Wellbeing

Prioritizing Educator Wellbeing: Considerations for State Leaders

Conclusion

References

JULY 2024 MOVING BEYOND SELF-CARE Practice and Policy Conditions to Support Educator Wellbeing THE COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, Bureau of Indian Education, and five U. S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public. For more information, [visit](visit ccsso.org)[ ](visit ccsso.org)[ccsso.org](visit ccsso.org). ———— Kirsten Baesler (North Dakota), President Carissa Moffat Miller, Chief Executive Officer AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®) is a nonpartisan, not-forprofit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health, and the workforce. AIR’s work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U. S. and abroad. For more information, visit AIR.ORG. ———— Lead Authors: Nick Yoder, Ph.D.; Charrise Hollingsworth, Ph.D.; and Cheryl Krohn, Ph.D. American Institutes for Research, in partnership with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Council of Chief State School Officers One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20001 [www.ccsso.org](www.ccsso.org) MOVING BEYOND SELF-CARE Practice and Policy Conditions to Support Educator Wellbeing 2024 CCSSO & AIR. All rights reserved. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This paper was developed in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which hosted a Staff and Student Wellbeing Community of Practice with state education agencies. The Community of Practice was supported by the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®) and WestEd and funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI Foundation). The authors would like to thank the staff at CCSSO who provided guidance on this paper, including Anne Bowles, Melissa McGrath and Jonathan Moore, as well as former CCSSO staffer Maribel Saimre. We also want to thank Pat Conner, consultant; Kirsten Carr, Foresight Law + Policy; Mark Greenberg, Penn State University; Christina Pate, Steve Canavero and Amber Valdez from WestEd; Jen DePaoli from the Learning Policy Institute; Marie-Louise Caravatti, American Federation of Teachers; Karuna Antani, Brandy Bixler, Cynthia Blankenship, Annelise Cohon, Marcy Magid, Eunice Salcedo and Joel Solomon from the National Education Association; as well as colleagues at AIR, including Greta Colombi, Lynn Holdheide, Lisa Lachlan, Tammy Knights and David Osher, for their review and thought partnership. CONTENT Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................9 Defining Educator Wellbeing ................................................................................................................... 11 Articulating the Importance of Educator Wellbeing ............................................................... 13 Building a Framework for Educator Wellbeing ........................................................................... 15 Working Conditions That Influence Educator Wellbeing........................................

FAQs

Why does the report move beyond self-care for educators?

Educators’ wellbeing is declining and mental health concerns are increasing, so the report emphasizes addressing root causes through policy and practice mechanisms rather than relying only on self-care strategies.

What main factors does the report say influence educator wellbeing?

The report highlights both workplace conditions and individual factors that shape educator wellbeing, and explains how these interact within a broader framework.

How should state leaders use the report’s guidance?

State leaders can use the framework and considerations provided to prioritize educator wellbeing by aligning policy and practice mechanisms across state education agencies and local education agencies.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle