J1: Research Roundup Total Worker Health® 2

Stress is widespread in the workplace, and K–12 educators face particularly high levels. However, workplace interventions are often limited and focus on individual coping rather than systemic change.

This presentation will present the implementation and evaluation of the Educator Well-being Program (EWP), a participatory intervention that engages educator teams to identify and address work-related stressors. Using a step-wedged approach, we hypothesized that educators in three intervention schools would show improved mental health compared to educators in ten control schools. Electronic surveys assessing mental health and work factors were administered in the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years. Paired t-tests evaluated changes pre- and post-EWP implementation.

Educators identified workload and student behavior as key stressors. Interventions included behavior management training, protected prep time, improved communication, and strengthened peer support. Among 424 matched respondents, stress (mean = 7.36 to 6.81, p = 0.0167) and anxiety (7.66 to 6.55, p = 0.0299) significantly declined in intervention schools. Control schools showed no change in these outcomes but reported increased emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and turnover intent.

Results suggest that participatory approaches like the EWP can reduce educator stress and improve workplace climate. Additional school-wide initiatives may further enhance its long-term impact.