Every district already owns the data. SIS, LMS, behavior, MTSS, coaching logs, walkthroughs, surveys, finance — none of it agrees with the others by the time it reaches a board meeting.
This isn't a hunch — it's documented across national surveys, research institutes and district spending data.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. principals in 2020–2021 spent an average of 30% of their time solely on internal administrative duties — time not spent on instruction or people.
Administrators can expect to work about 60 hours a week. RAND reports that over 85% of principals felt burnout and high stress in 2022, with roughly a third of educational staff considering leaving the profession by year's end.
The least productive districts spend as much as $350 more per student on administration than average. In a district of 3,000 students, that's over one million dollars a year — money not reaching classrooms.
Data-focused meetings designed to improve outcomes and productivity often get sidetracked by staff venting about negative personal experiences in their own departments — burning valuable time that was meant for evidence and action.
"[Placeholder — quote from Miles on firsthand experience with data meetings derailed by department venting.]"
Principals and administrators spend most of their time observing teachers and students in classrooms — not buried in documentation.
Administration stays productive without all the burnout and extra hours — the job looks like the one people signed up for.
Meetings focus on data-driven goals that inspire teachers and staff, instead of getting derailed before they start.