This qualitative phenomenological study in the Midwestern United States examined if twenty educators experienced work stress due to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. Additionally, the study inquired if participants experienced work stress with the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) legislation. Based on the No Child Left Behind legislation, these educators had the potential to encounter stress especially if they remained in schools with low student achievement and declining student enrollment. The purpose of this study examined if twenty educators experienced work stress due to the passage of NCLB and ESSA legislation. The James-Lange Theory of Emotion guided the study. The data collection method was by cell phone interview. The data were coded and analyzed according to the answers to the interview questions. The research resulted in five major themes that emerged from both stressful and pleasurable experiences shared by the twenty educators: 1) Culture and climate of the school. 2) Student behavior and discipline. 3) Lack of parental and administrative support 4) Educator's reaction to education legislation. 5) Student Success The study findings can be used to prepare future educators to anticipate and act under stressful situations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]