Recruitment & Retention

Staff shortages. Grow-your-own programs. Turnover. Learn more about recruiting and retaining teachers and other school and district staff

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  • Bill Briggman, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Charleston County School District, listens to public comments during a Charleston County School Board meeting, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C. Briggman is a go-between for the superintendent and the school board.
    Bill Briggman, chief human resources officer for the Charleston County School District, listens to public comments during a school board meeting, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C.
    Laura Bilson for Education Week
    Recruitment & Retention Q&A A Formula for Better Teacher Recruitment and Retention
    Helping teachers advocate for themselves is key to success.
    Mark Lieberman, February 3, 2025
    3 min read
    Bill Briggman, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Charleston County School District, speaks with Ella Larson as she teaches students at Pinehurst Elementary School, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C.. Some of the teachers at Pinehurst Elementary are a part of the district’s partnership with Clemson University to earn their Master’s degree while they teach.
    Bill Briggman, chief human resources officer for the Charleston County School District, speaks with Ella Larson as she teaches students at Pinehurst Elementary School, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C..
    Laura Bilson for Education Week
    Recruitment & Retention Leader To Learn From How This HR Director Pushed for Pay Increases for Teachers
    Teachers are getting paid more in the Charleston, S.C. district—thanks in part to their champion in administration.
    Mark Lieberman, February 3, 2025
    9 min read
    High school student Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of fourth grade students at Clayton Elementary School, where he has an internship in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
    Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of 4th grade students at Clayton Elementary School in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. Many boys, especially boys of color, don't consider teaching as a profession, but Me'Kenzie has a teaching internship through his high school's career pathways program.
    Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
    Recruitment & Retention Why Boys Don't Want to Become Teachers and What Schools Can Do About It
    Boys would benefit from more male role models in the classroom.
    Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
    10 min read
Recruitment & Retention: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best ways to recruit good teachers?
The ways that teachers find school jobs has changed in recent years. But recruitment hasn’t gone all virtual. According to a 2022 EdWeek Research Center survey of job seekers, only 5 percent said they find out about K-12 jobs through virtual job fairs. Many more job seekers find jobs by looking at district websites (54 percent), word of mouth (47 percent), and education-focused job websites (42 percent).


Some districts are turning to decidedly non-digital recruitment methods, like highway billboards, flyers in grocery stores, and reaching out to parents to ask them to become substitute teachers.
What qualities do principals look for when hiring teachers?
Many principals place the most weight on how a teacher will fit in with their school’s culture. That attribute was more valued by principals than whether the teacher’s certification aligned with their school’s needs, according to a 2022 survey by RAND.


The number of years of teaching experience a teacher had ranked relatively low in principal’s desired teacher qualifications, with less than a quarter of principals saying it was in their top three.
How can schools retain teachers?
Here is some advice on retaining teachers from Principal David Arencibia of Colleyville Middle School in Texas:
· Be clear with teachers about job expectations.

· Create a positive school culture.

· Celebrate your staff.

· Listen to your staff.