Educators want to grow. They do not feel ready.
Before building NextGround, we asked educators about the roles they want and what stands between them and those roles. Three findings shaped everything we are building.
71%
Nearly 3 in 4
Passed on an opportunity because they did not feel prepared
The roles were there. Educators saw openings they wanted and chose not to apply, not because they lacked the talent, but because they did not feel ready to stand behind it. Preparation, not ambition, is the gap.
89%
Nearly 9 in 10
Took on new responsibilities on their own just to prepare
Without a clear route, educators build their own. They volunteer for committees, lead initiatives, and stretch beyond their job descriptions, hoping the extra work adds up to readiness for a role nobody has explained to them.
82%
More than 4 in 5
Rated practicing future-role skills as highly valuable
Educators do not want more theory about the job they want next. They want to practice the actual work, the hard conversations, the decisions, the leadership moments, before those moments carry real stakes.
About this research
Source: NextGround Educator Career Growth & Mobility Survey, 38 educators. This is early directional research, not a nationally representative sample. We share it because it matches what we hear from educators every week, and because it is the reason NextGround exists. Respondents are educators who shared their experiences with us, and their answers guide which paths we build next.
Preparation is the gap. So we build preparation.
NextGround starts with the Role Matcher, a free 45-question assessment that shows which career line fits you and three real roles to explore. From there, our cohorts help you understand the role, practice the work before it counts, and leave with evidence you can stand behind in an interview.