Asheboro City Schools: 95% of teachers say their school'is a good place to work; district targets behavior, time and math gaps

At its June 11 meeting, the Asheboro City Board of Education heard results from the 2026 teacher working-conditions survey showing broad staff support for schools and clear next steps for the district.

Gail Higgs, who presented the results, said 341 certified staff responded to the survey this cycle, representing roughly 95% of eligible school-level certified employees. "95% of staff agree that their school is a good place to work and learn, up from 82% in 2022," Higgs said, calling the year-to-year increases "very encouraging." She reported gains across trust, comfort raising concerns, teacher leadership, mentoring and professional learning.

The presentation identified areas that still need attention. Higgs said student conduct, attendance and sufficient instructional and planning time remain challenges: "Perceptions of sufficient planning time increased from 57% to 66%, but only about two-thirds of respondents feel they have enough instructional time to meet the needs of all students," she said. The district plans school-level drilldowns of the survey data to prioritize interventions.

Superintendent Dr. Woody framed the survey as part of broader culture change in the district. "We are doing tremendous things for young people," he said, noting high staff engagement at events and a recent graduation that drew large community participation.

Board members asked about how the district will use the data and whether it can be compared with other districts. Staff said the survey is administered every two years and the district will provide school- and department-level breakdowns so leaders can design targeted strategies. Next steps enumerated by staff included: continuing efforts to strengthen student behavior supports and attendance, protecting planning time, differentiating professional learning, and using the results to guide continuous improvement plans at each school.

The board took no formal action on the survey results but directed staff to pursue the planned follow-up work and to bring back findings and proposed interventions as they are developed.