New tool tracks K-12 staffing changes by district

A new interactive tool from Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab gives school leaders, parents, and community members the ability to assess how public school staffing has changed in recent years.

The WANDA K-12 workforce dataset, which draws from the National Center for Education Statistics, allows users to compare staffing levels with enrollment trends by district and state between the 2018-19 and 2024-25 school years. In many districts nationwide, staffing levels rose despite despite declining student enrollment, raising questions about long-term sustainability.

In North Dakota, full-time equivalent employees statewide increased by 2,164 — 11 percent — between 2018-19 and 2024-25. The largest increase was among paraprofessionals (21 percent), followed by non-teaching school-based certificated employees (assistant principals, nurses, specialists, etc.) at 12 percent and district administration, school administrators, and support staff at 11 percent. Student enrollment also increased, growing by around 5 percent, and teacher growth was double that at 10 percent.

WANDA: K-12 Workforce Data Tool

Source: Edunomics Lab, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy

Trends vary by district. Certain districts including Fargo and Jamestown increased staffing even as student enrollment declined. The Belcourt district saw its student count decrease by 139 students but increased its teacher count by 63, a 48 percent increase over the time period available. The Bottineau district held its employee count steady while slightly increasing its student body (2 percent).

Over the past 20 years, statewide data show administrative growth (44 percent) and principal and assistant principal growth (35 percent) significantly outpaced both teacher growth (18 percent) and student enrollment (9 percent). This trend carries long-term budget implications for taxpayers and opportunity cost to consider for both teachers and students.

The WANDA tool provides the public greater transparency into hiring trends. Transparency alone, however, is insufficient. District leaders must still demonstrate that staffing decisions reflect student need and long-term fiscal sustainability. Taxpayers deserve clear evidence that expanding payrolls is improving results and not simply enlarging systems.