Teacher Pipeline
Recruitment & Retention
How Districts Can Show They Are Committed to Building a More Racially Diverse Workforce
Here are some ways for districts and schools to demonstrate that they value and support teachers of color.
Recruitment & Retention
Recruiting and Retaining Teachers of Color: Why It Matters, Ways to Do It
Some districts are making gains in recruiting and holding onto Black, Hispanic, and Asian teachers. Here are some ideas for how to do it.
Recruitment & Retention
Leader To Learn From
Revamping Hiring and Support for Teachers
Gonzalo La Cava, the chief of human resources in The School District of Palm Beach County, Fla., has tackled high teacher vacancies by building a pipeline into the teaching profession for non-traditional candidates, better matching teachers’ skills and experiences to the needs of schools, and ensuring that new teachers get support during the critical early years on the job. He is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
Recruitment & Retention
Leader To Learn From
On a Mission to Help Student-Teachers Thrive
Marsha Francis, the program manager of the First STEP program in Georgia’s Fulton County district, has overhauled how the Fulton County, Ga., school system supports teacher-candidates during their clinical experience, by providing carefully selected mentors, professional development, a stipend, and guaranteed placement in the district after graduation.
Teaching Profession
Wanted: Teachers as Diverse as Their Students
Districts try "grow your own" programs to build an educator workforce that mirrors their changing student body.
Teaching Profession
The Push to Get More Teachers of Color in Special Education Classrooms
Eight in 10 special educators are white, but some teacher-preparation programs are working to make the field more diverse.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Finding Common Ground Through Data to Improve Idaho's Teacher Pipeline
A superintendent outlines the importance of various groups coming together to address teacher recruitment and retention challenges in Idaho.
Special Report
Getting & Keeping Good Teachers
For many school districts, teacher shortages are a recurring challenge. What are those districts doing differently to attract—and keep—the teachers they need?
School & District Management
Opinion
Is School Reform Really Driving Teachers Out of the Profession?
The idea that school reform, especially test-based accountability is driving teachers out of the profession has been widely reported in the media. When we actually look at the data, there is evidence of problems in the teacher pipeline to be sure, but not an overall teacher shortage.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Why Vergara-Like Lawsuits Will Likely Fail (and Where They Might Succeed)
Every once in a while the courts make a decision that is both surprisingly and profoundly important. The Vergara suit in California, challenging standard teacher personnel laws, was just such a case.
Special Report
Teacher Recruitment
This special report explores the factors behind recent teacher shortages and highlights initiatives designed to improve district hiring processes and tap new pools of prospective educators.
School & District Management
Opinion
The Changing New Orleans Teaching Labor Force
In 2005, as New Orleans began to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the Orleans Parish School Board made an unprecedented move and fired all the teachers who had been in the school system before the storm. As schools rebuilt, most were transformed into independently managed charter schools. Many critics argue that pre-Katrina teachers were unfairly terminated, and that the teacher workforce suffered a loss of experienced teachers who were never rehired.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Chicago Contract Busts Budget; Layoffs Loom for Lowest Performers
Chicago teachers voted overwhelmingly today to ratify their new contract, sealing the deal that ended September's 7-day strike. The Chicago Teachers Union prevailed in obtaining a 2-3% annual raise for the next three to four years (totaling as much as 17.6% cumulatively), and in keeping the teacher workday short despite a lengthening of the school day for elementary students.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Is a Master's Degree Worth $30,000?
Should a Master's degree be part of the teacher certification process, and what role should it play in compensation, if any?