In recent years, public school districts across California have drifted far from their core academic mission. While student achievement has stagnated or declined, districts have rapidly expanded administrative bureaucracies and non-teaching staff focused on programs only tangentially related to classroom instruction. This shift harms educational outcomes and erodes trust between schools, families, and taxpayers.
One of the most significant trends in education over the past few decades has been the growth of non-teaching personnel. In California and nationwide, administrators, counselors, and other support staff have grown far faster than classroom teachers. This expansion stems from schools taking on roles in addressing students’ perceived needs related to mental health and social identity. Programs emphasizing “social-emotional learning” (SEL), “school climate,” and inclusion have created new staff positions that barely existed a generation ago.