THE FIRST RESPONDERS OF EDUCATION – Supporting K-12 Education Business Leaders

Rallying around our teachers

For years, we’ve called teachers “heroes,” but in today’s educational climate, it’s clear they’re more like first responders—showing up every day to stabilize situations, care for those in crisis, and keep things moving forward, often with limited resources and mounting pressures.

During our recent K-12 Advisory Board meeting, school leaders made it clear: while operational costs are climbing and new technologies are reshaping classrooms, the biggest challenge isn’t budgets or AI. It’s people. Specifically, the teachers who are asked to do more than ever—and who desperately need our support.

The Rising Toll on Teachers

Burnout is hitting hard across the K-12 landscape. Teachers aren’t just educators anymore. They’re counselors, social workers, mentors, and sometimes even stand-in parents. They’re managing student behavior issues, supporting mental health needs, and navigating an era of growing disrespect and declining motivation. “It’s not the teaching that’s driving people away,” said Vince Janney, Head of School at in Alabama. “It’s the way parents make them feel.”

Expectations have skyrocketed, and the emotional toll is starting to show. As one advisory board member shared, the exhaustion is real—and the support systems aren’t keeping pace.

When Respect Fades, So Does Resilience

Many educators are reporting that students today lack the same respect for teachers and the classroom that once helped maintain balance. That shift, combined with challenging home environments and cultural pressures, is making an already difficult job feel nearly impossible. “So many of these kids are coming from really tough homes,” said Dewayne Hancock, Graphic Communications Instructor at Scott County Schools. “The role models they see aren’t strong, and they base their future on that. We need to change that culture.”

But teachers can’t change culture alone. They need their districts, parents, and communities to rally around them, reinforcing the value of education and the people who make it happen.

Time to Rally

Supporting teachers today means more than pizza parties and appreciation weeks. It’s about systemic shifts:

Creating healthy, supportive workplace cultures
Providing real-time resources to manage burnout
Investing in programs and tools that ease workloads
Advocating for respect at every level—from students, parents, and leadership

Teachers as the Lifeline

Teachers are the backbone of education. They’re on the front lines every day, responding to crises big and small, and doing everything they can to keep students engaged, supported, and moving forward. But no one can run at full speed forever. If we truly want to protect the future of education, it’s time to treat our teachers the way we treat other first responders: with gratitude, respect, resources, and unwavering support. Because without them, the system doesn’t work.