diff --git a/packages/base-styles/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/base-styles/CHANGELOG.md
index bb5f4e44ad9899..b3e7554b1fda11 100644
--- a/packages/base-styles/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/base-styles/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Breaking Changes
+
+-   Remove the following entries from the `z-index()` helper ([#78315](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/78315)):
+    -   `.dataviews-footer`
+    -   `.dataviews-view-grid__card .dataviews-selection-checkbox`
+    -   `.dataviews-view-table thead`
+
 ## 8.0.0 (2026-05-14)
 
 ### Breaking Changes
diff --git a/packages/base-styles/_z-index.scss b/packages/base-styles/_z-index.scss
index 98864bb6d394f8..ad2c022733b147 100644
--- a/packages/base-styles/_z-index.scss
+++ b/packages/base-styles/_z-index.scss
@@ -125,15 +125,6 @@ $z-layers: (
 	// Appear under the topbar.
 	".customize-widgets__block-toolbar": 7,
 
-	// Ensure checkbox + actions don't overlap table header
-	".dataviews-view-table thead": 1,
-
-	// Ensure selection checkbox stays above the preview field.
-	".dataviews-view-grid__card .dataviews-selection-checkbox": 1,
-
-	// Ensure footer stays above the preview field.
-	".dataviews-footer": 2,
-
 	// Needs to be below media library (.media-model) that has a z-index of 160000.
 	".components-popover.components-dropdown__content.dataforms-layouts-panel__field-dropdown": 160000 - 10,
 );
diff --git a/packages/dataviews/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/dataviews/CHANGELOG.md
index a0fe6b9e95eda3..7b03dc2c95abfa 100644
--- a/packages/dataviews/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/dataviews/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Enhancements
 
+- DataViews: Lower the sticky footer z-index and isolate grid card stacking contexts. [#78315](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/78315)
 - DataViews: Refresh filter chip styling to align with `Button`. [#75204](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/75204)
 - DataForms: Increase the minimum width of the panel layout popover from 256px to 320px so option labels have more room. [#75204](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/75204)
 
diff --git a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-footer/style.scss b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-footer/style.scss
index 4f5caeef034d0c..5cbead41d9bdce 100644
--- a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-footer/style.scss
+++ b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-footer/style.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-@use "@wordpress/base-styles/z-index" as *;
 @use "../../dataviews/style" as *;
 
 .dataviews-footer {
@@ -14,7 +13,8 @@
 		transition: padding ease-out 0.1s;
 	}
 
-	z-index: z-index(".dataviews-footer");
+	// Ensure the footer stays above the scrolling content, independent of DOM order.
+	z-index: 1;
 
 	.is-refreshing {
 		@include dataviews-refreshing();
diff --git a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/grid/style.scss b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/grid/style.scss
index e657e89e1a7856..d0424ac096bcf3 100644
--- a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/grid/style.scss
+++ b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/grid/style.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-@use "@wordpress/base-styles/z-index" as *;
 @use "../utils/grid-items.scss" as *;
 @use "../../../dataviews/style" as *;
 
@@ -63,6 +62,7 @@
 		height: 100%;
 		justify-content: flex-start;
 		position: relative;
+		isolation: isolate;
 
 		.dataviews-view-grid__title-actions {
 			padding: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-sm) 0 var(--wpds-dimension-padding-xs);
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@
 	position: absolute;
 	top: -9999em;
 	left: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-sm);
-	z-index: z-index(".dataviews-view-grid__card .dataviews-selection-checkbox");
+	// Ensure selection checkbox stays above the preview field.
+	z-index: 1;
 	opacity: 0;
 
 	@media not (prefers-reduced-motion) {
diff --git a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/picker-grid/style.scss b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/picker-grid/style.scss
index e30a56207075f8..cd1a2bdb3ac2ec 100644
--- a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/picker-grid/style.scss
+++ b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/picker-grid/style.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-@use "@wordpress/base-styles/z-index" as *;
 @use "../utils/grid-items.scss" as *;
 
 .dataviews-view-picker-grid {
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@
 		height: 100%;
 		justify-content: flex-start;
 		position: relative;
+		isolation: isolate;
 
 		.dataviews-view-picker-grid__title-actions {
 			padding: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-sm) 0 var(--wpds-dimension-padding-xs);
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@
 	position: absolute;
 	top: -9999em;
 	left: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-sm);
-	z-index: z-index(".dataviews-view-grid__card .dataviews-selection-checkbox");
+	// Ensure selection checkbox stays above the preview field.
+	z-index: 1;
 
 	@media (hover: none) {
 		// Show checkboxes on devices that do not support hover.
diff --git a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/table/style.scss b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/table/style.scss
index a536e5556f9029..62a3fc0f6b322e 100644
--- a/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/table/style.scss
+++ b/packages/dataviews/src/components/dataviews-layouts/table/style.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 @use "@wordpress/base-styles/mixins" as *;
-@use "@wordpress/base-styles/z-index" as *;
 @use "../../../dataviews/style" as *;
 
 .dataviews-view-table {
@@ -129,7 +128,8 @@
 	thead {
 		position: sticky;
 		inset-block-start: 0;
-		z-index: z-index(".dataviews-view-table thead");
+		// Ensure the header stays above the scrolling content.
+		z-index: 1;
 		background-color: inherit;
 
 		&.dataviews-view-table__thead--stuck {