Recruitment & Retention
Staff shortages. Grow-your-own programs. Turnover. Learn more about recruiting and retaining teachers and other school and district staff
Staffing Our Schools
Why schools are struggling to recruit and retain staff and how education leaders can start to solve the problem.
- Recruitment & Retention K-12 Essentials Forum Building a Diverse Staff to Drive Student SuccessJoin this free virtual event to get up to speed on the pivotal role of diversity in K-12 education.Recruitment & Retention Video How Workplace Culture Can Affect Staffing ShortagesA recruiter and a teacher share possible solutions to ongoing teaching shortages in schools.Recruitment & Retention Letter to the Editor Teacher Housing Is a Critical Need in Native CommunitiesWe can't forget about Indian lands school districts when talking about teacher housing, says this letter to the editor.
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.
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.
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.
· Be clear with teachers about job expectations.
· Create a positive school culture.
· Celebrate your staff.
· Listen to your staff.
- Recruitment & Retention Opinion 3 Solutions for the Black Male Teacher ShortageI was well out of college before my mentor persuaded me to become a teacher. Here’s how we can start reaching Black men earlier.Recruitment & Retention How This District Boosted Its Ranks of School Librarians—From WithinA South Carolina district partnered with a local university to grow its own teacher-librarians and fill vacancies.Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says The New School Staffing Landscape, in ChartsAdministrators say they're having an easier time filling some vacancies this year, but challenges remain.SponsorThis content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.Learn from leaders in education as they share insights and strategies to support teachers and students.Recruitment & Retention Looking to Recruit and Retain Younger Employees? Speak Their LanguageWorkplace experts provide ways for education administrators to bridge generational communication divides.Recruitment & Retention Q&A A District Raised All Teacher Salaries, Some by Almost 22K. How It's WorkingLeaders said condensing the district's 16-tier pay scale was just one of the tools they used.Recruitment & Retention Download DOWNLOADABLE: A Recipe for Creating a School Culture Teachers Don't Want to LeaveIt takes the right combination of hiring the right people, supporting their growth, recognizing their good work, and having fun.Recruitment & Retention From Our Research Center What's Keeping People From Becoming Teachers? An Eye-Popping To-Do List, for OneNinety percent of educators say that the demands of the job make it harder to recruit and retain teachers.Recruitment & Retention Teacher Autonomy Isn't Dead. Here's How to Achieve ItAward-winning teachers and other experts suggest ways to build and maintain this cherished professional freedom.Recruitment & Retention Q&A Behind the Podcast That's Trying to Entice More People of Color Into TeachingNew York City uses outside-the-box strategies to recruit and retain educators of color.Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says How to Find (and Keep) SubstitutesEducators and leaders discuss ways to deepen the substitute labor pool amid staff shortages and absenteeism.Recruitment & Retention Video How to Create a School Culture That Teachers Won't Want to LeaveAt this Texas middle school, staff have turned down job offers that would boost their salary or significantly cut their commute time.Recruitment & Retention Staff Shortages in Schools Are Here to Stay. Here's WhySchool districts are still struggling to hire qualified candidates in special education, transportation, and STEM.Recruitment & Retention 5 Ways Districts Are Filling Teacher VacanciesHiring international teachers, bringing teachers out of retirement, and using virtual learning are some of districts' solutions.Recruitment & Retention What Can States Do to Patch the 'Leaky Pipeline' for Teachers of Color?State teacher-recruitment programs need to be more explicit about aiming for diversity, a report finds.