Educators are the backbone of our school system and our teachers are a vital asset to our learning communities in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Supporting teacher retention is essential for ensuring continuity and stability in our schools. The current enrollment policy which places teacher’s children who live outside of the district at the lowest priority discourages long-term retention of skilled teachers, many of whom are already navigating high housing costs that make living near district boundaries impossible.

Placing these teachers’ children at the lowest tier of enrollment priority sends a painful message that the families of educators are not valued. This undermines the morale of our staff, complicates work-life balance, and puts unnecessary strain on both educators and their children. Educators should not have to worry about whether their own children will have access to stable schooling while they dedicate themselves to supporting hundreds of other students each day.

Many of our teachers dedicate countless hours beyond their contract time to the success and well being of our students. Yet under current district policy, their own children are placed at the lowest level of enrollment priority.

This approach:

• Undermines the district’s stated commitment to equity.
• Forces teachers to choose between professional obligations and family stability.
• Contributes to teacher burnout and attrition.
• Discourages long-term commitment to our schools.

Teachers who cannot ensure stable schooling for their children are placed in an untenable position, and this has a ripple effect on staff morale and student support. Research consistently shows that school stability is strongly associated with better academic performance, improved behavior, and higher emotional well-being. Educational stability is especially important in early childhood and elementary years. Forcing students to transfer due to enrollment caps or logistical constraints contradicts what we know to be best for child development. Teachers, who are responsible for creating consistent learning environments for students, should be able to provide that same consistency for their own children.

In addition, it is well known that there are many benefits of education continuity for children. Once a child begins school—especially in early grades—they should be able to remain at that school throughout the full grade span (e.g., K–5, 6–8, 9–12). Reassigning or displacing children based solely on enrollment numbers or boundary issues creates instability and undermines their academic and emotional well-being.

Because teachers work long and varied hours, proximity to their children is not just convenient, it is essential. Many teachers rely on having their children at the same site or at nearby schools. This allows them to:

• Fulfill their contractual hours without the burden of complex commuting or childcare arrangements.
• Participate in school events and provide extra academic support.
• Focus on their jobs, knowing their own children are safe and cared for nearby.

Teachers are not only educators—they are also parents and key contributors to our school communities. Moving students based on shifting enrollment numbers is disruptive to their learning, emotional development, and sense of belonging. The inability to secure school placement for one’s own child is a major deterrent to remaining in the profession or within the district. At a time when schools are striving to retain experienced, committed educators, this policy sends a message that our families are not valued. By granting higher enrollment priority to teachers’ children, the district affirms its support for the very people who make quality education possible.

We urge district leadership to consider this petition as a step toward fostering more supportive, inclusive, and practical solution for teachers and their families. We ask the district to recognize the clear need for higher enrollment priority for the children of teachers. Supporting educators means supporting families—and supporting families strengthens our schools. To this end, we ask the district leadership to commit to the needs of the educators who serve our children every day. Stability, respect, and practical support for educators and their families should be a foundational part of any school system that values its staff and students.