Budget season is here.

And for many school leaders, it’s arriving on top of an already heavy stack: staffing shortages, rising student needs, political and social stressors, community pressure, and a workforce that is exhausted—emotionally, mentally, and relationally.

At the same time, teachers are carrying a lot.
The world feels heavy. Schools feel heavy. And too often, the adults inside the building feel like they’re holding it all together with very little left to give.

Recently, we interviewed 25 teachers across different schools and districts and asked one simple question: How aware is your admin team of school culture challenges—and how are they responding?

What we heard was sobering.

What Teachers Are Really Telling Us

Across interviews, a clear pattern emerged. Not apathy. Not a lack of care.

But a lack of traction.

Teachers told us:

• “My admin team knows there are school culture challenges, but they don’t seem to be actively working to fix it.”

• “They are aware the stress is too much—but they don’t know how to fix it.”

• “They’re trying, but what they’re doing isn’t working.”

• “Culture gets attention once a year… then it disappears.”

• “There are so many initiatives that nothing actually changes.”

• “Admin is disconnected. Everyone is on their own island.”

• “They’re aware—but it’s never the top priority.”

• “They hired people, started strong, and then abandoned it.”

• “They’re pretending not to know.”

Perhaps the most heartbreaking thread?

Teachers overwhelmingly believe their leaders care, but they still feel unseen, unheard, and unsupported in practice.

This isn’t a leadership problem rooted in indifference.
It’s a systems problem rooted in how schools have been taught to “solve” culture.

Why Traditional Fixes Aren’t Working (Especially in Times of Scarcity)

When budgets tighten, schools tend to default to familiar moves:

• One-off PD days
• New initiatives layered on top of old ones
• Compliance-based behavior systems
• More meetings
• More “tools” without time, space, or coherence

The intent is good.
The impact is minimal.

Teachers described efforts that felt reactive instead of restorative, performative instead of authentic, and busy instead of meaningful.

And in moments of real crisis—after trauma, loss, or sustained stress—those gaps widen fast.

Here’s the hard truth budget season asks us to confront:

You cannot initiative your way out of burnout.
You cannot spreadsheet your way into trust.
And you cannot build a thriving culture without honoring the humans inside it.

What Actually Moves the Needle

Across every interview, teachers were clear about what they want most… to be heard, to feel safe, to feel seen, to be respected as professionals and humans, and to grow in their craft in ways that feel purposeful—not performative.

What if budgets reflected that?

What if, instead of treating well-being as an add-on, we treated it as infrastructure?

What if we:

• Addressed personal well-being first, not last
• Created space for teachers to reconnect with themselves as humans
• Offered skill-building that felt relevant, choice-driven, and immediately useful
• Built systems that supported adults consistently, not just during crises

This is the foundation of Holistic PD.

A Different Way to Think About Professional Development

Holistic PD starts with a simple—but often overlooked—truth: Healthy adults create healthy schools.

Rather than separating well-being, skill-building, and culture into disconnected initiatives, Holistic PD weaves them together—intentionally and sustainably.

It asks different budget questions:

• How do we reduce absences by supporting energy and capacity?
• How do we increase retention by investing in adults before they burn out?
• How do we strengthen instruction by first stabilizing the human system delivering it?
• How do we create alignment so culture isn’t everyone’s job—and no one’s job?

When teachers are supported as whole people, something powerful happens… collaboration improves, resistance softens, engagement increases, and students feel the ripple effect.

And yes – outcomes improve.

Hope for Leaders Right Now

If you’re a school or district leader reading this and thinking, “I know there’s a problem—but I don’t know how to fix it,”  you are not alone.

Teachers see your care.
They feel your overwhelm.
And they are craving a path forward that feels human, doable, and real.

Budget season doesn’t have to be about choosing between programs.

It can be about choosing priorities.

When budgets reflect what teachers are telling us they need—connection, coherence, compassion, and meaningful growth—schools don’t just survive tight seasons.

They stabilize.
They strengthen.
They thrive.

And that is not wishful thinking.

It’s what happens when we finally build systems that honor the humans at the heart of our schools.

Wondering how to build this kind of system in your own school or district? That’s exactly where Holistic PD steps in. We help you shape culture, prioritize staff well-being, and grow skill sets across your entire team.

Curious to learn more? Let’s talk. We’re just as committed to finding the right fit as you are—and whether we partner or not, you’ll leave with tools you can use right away.

Written by Sarah Fillion 2026