Recruitment & Hiring

Learn more about efforts to attract school and district staff and choose the best candidate for the job

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A middle school student unlocks a Yondr pouch on an unlocking base at Bayside Academy while others wait in line for their turn to unlock their pouch at the end of the school day on Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif. Gavin Newsom sent letters Tuesday, Aug. 13, to school districts, urging them to restrict students’ use of smartphones on campus.
A middle school student unlocks a Yondr pouch to retrieve a cellphone at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024. Most educators are supportive of schools putting restrictions on student cellphone use during school hours.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
Recruitment & Retention From Our Research Center Want to Recruit Teachers? Restrict Student Cellphone Use During School
Many school districts now limit student cellphone use during school hours.
Alyson Klein, April 29, 2026
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2 min read
Facility and prospective applicants gather at William Penn School District's teachers job fair in Lansdowne, Pa., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. As schools across the country struggle to find teachers to hire, more governors are pushing for pay increases and bonuses for the beleaguered profession.
Facility and prospective applicants gather at William Penn School District's teachers job fair in Lansdowne, Pa., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. As schools across the country struggle to find teachers to hire, more governors are pushing for pay increases and bonuses for the beleaguered profession.
Matt Rourke/AP
Artificial Intelligence The Interview Topic That Could Trip Up This Year's Job-Seeking Teachers
Artificial intelligence is creeping into schools. Hirers want to know how job candidates feel about it.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 23, 2026
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1 min read
Teach for America teacher Channler Williams with kindergartners at Templeton Elementary School in Riverdale, MD on April 12, 2016. Teach for America has seen its applicants drop in each of the last three years so they are retooling the way they recruit students. One thing they are doing is taking prospects to see TFA teachers at work. Today, students from Georgetown and George Washington University got a glimpse of life in the classroom and Mrs's Williams class was among those visited.
Teach For America has had success getting undergraduates to tutor, some of whom later go into its teaching corps. The organization is seeking ways how to respond to newer teachers' needs and expectations. TFA teacher Channler Williams works with her kindergartners at Templeton Elementary School in Riverdale, Md. on April 12, 2016.
Linda Davidson/The Washington Post via Getty
Teaching Profession Q&A Teach For America's Tutoring Focus Is Now Helping Drive Teacher Recruitment
The education corps is rebounding from pandemic losses, thanks in large part to a burgeoning tutor focus.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 21, 2026
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4 min read
A line sketch of an adult female and male educator holding a laptop and overlayed on an AI agent created template that reads CANDIDATE SCREENING TEMPLATE.
Photo illustration by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva
Recruitment & Retention Download Ease the Teacher-Hiring Process with AI (Downloadable)
Clear criteria and privacy protections are critical when using technology to smooth the hiring process.
Sarah D. Sparks & Gina Tomko, April 6, 2026
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1 min read
Daniel Perez, a recruiter with Teachers Accelerator Program, talks to a job seeker during a job fair Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, in Miami.
Daniel Perez, a recruiter with Teachers Accelerator Program, talks to a job seeker during a job fair on Oct. 1, 2025, in Miami. New data from the EdWeek Research Center suggests that more than 50% of districts use AI tools during the teacher-hiring process.
Marta Lavandier/AP
Recruitment & Retention AI Is Changing Teacher Hiring. Here’s How
Teachers may not be aware that AI underpins both commercial and DIY hiring systems, raising concerns.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 2, 2026
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8 min read
Wed., March 18, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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Recruitment & Retention Webinar K-12 Lens 2026: What New Staffing Data Reveals About District Operations
Explore national survey findings and hear how districts are navigating staffing changes that affect daily operations, workload, and planning.
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Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Opinion Want to Retain Teachers? Ask the Right Questions Before Hiring Them
Teachers will want to stay in schools that meet their needs as professionals and as humans.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 16, 2026
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11 min read
William Penn School District Superintendent Eric Becoats, center, speaks with prospective applicants during a teachers job fair at the high school's cafeteria in Lansdowne, Pa., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. As schools across the country struggle to find teachers to hire, more governors are pushing for pay increases and bonuses for the beleaguered profession.
William Penn School District Superintendent Eric Becoats, center, speaks with prospective applicants during a teachers job fair at the high school's cafeteria in Lansdowne, Pa., on May 3, 2023. School districts face challenges in finding teacher candidates, particularly in hard-to-fill positions.
Matt Rourke/AP<br/>
Job Hunting Tips & Advice What Makes a Strong Teacher Hire? Here’s What School Leaders Say
Recruiters for K-12 districts told the EdWeek Research Center what they look for in educator applicants.
Jennifer Vilcarino, February 20, 2026
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1 min read
Executive Director of Talent Acquisition for Knox County Schools, Alex Moseman, leads a staffing committee meeting with principals and district leaders at Cedar Bluff Elementary in Knoxville, TN on Jan. 12, 2026.
Alex Moseman, executive director of talent acquisition for Knox County Schools, leads a staffing committee meeting with principals and district leaders at Cedar Bluff Elementary School in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 12, 2026.
Shawn Poynter for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Q&A This District Cracked the Nut on Fully Staffed Schools. Here’s How
Knox County streamlined hiring and empowered principals to beat teacher shortages.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 9, 2026
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5 min read
Executive Director of Talent Acquisition for Knox County Schools, Alex Moseman, checks in with some students in Angela Childers’ special education class after a staffing committee meeting at Cedar Bluff Elementary in Knoxville, TN, on Jan. 12, 2026.
Alex Moseman, executive director of talent acquisition for Knox County Schools, checks in with students in Angela Childers’ special education class after a staffing committee meeting at Cedar Bluff Elementary School in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 12, 2026.
Shawn Poynter for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Leader To Learn From The ‘Off-Season’ That Helps This HR Director Fully Staff Schools
Knox County reimagined teacher hiring and is starting each year fully staffed.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 9, 2026
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7 min read
Businesswoman and businessman HR manager interviewing woman. Candidate female sitting her back to camera, focus on her, close up rear view, interviewers on background. Human resources, hiring concept
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Principals Can Make or Break Schools. How Districts Find the Right Fit
Gauging job candidates' readiness for the challenges of running a school is not easy.
Olina Banerji, January 30, 2026
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5 min read
An illustration of a professional female holding the lines that divide the week days of a calendar and removing the first line so that it's knocking the letters MON off the grid.
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says Do 4-Day School Weeks Attract and Retain Better Teachers? What the Largest Study Yet Says
Shortened schedules may do less than district leaders hope to improve turnover and teacher quality.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 23, 2026
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3 min read
Illustration of luggage, airline tickets and visa document.
iStock
Recruitment & Retention Opinion What Trump's $100,000 Visa Fee Could Mean for Schools
An expert on teacher migration explains the possible consequences for international teachers.
Lora Bartlett, January 22, 2026
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5 min read
Wed., January 21, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2026 Survey Results: How School Districts are Finding and Keeping Talent
Discover the latest K-12 hiring trends from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of job seekers and district HR professionals.
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January 21, 2026