Perspectives: Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Name: Perspectives: Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Uploaded: 2022-07-29T17:32:46.000Z
Duration: 2 h 2 min 23 s

Introduction

The host introduces the virtual event series and the topic of teacher recruitment and retention.

Host Introduction

Jason Mitchell is the host of the virtual event series.

The event gathers educators from across the country to discuss topics that are top of mind for them.

Today's topic is teacher recruitment and retention.

Quick Notes

The host provides some quick notes about using Zoom for the event.

Using Zoom

Participants can use the chat to get to know one another.

Participants can use the question and answer box on the bottom of their screen to submit questions to panelists.

Poll questions will pop up during the event, and participants are encouraged to answer them.

Teacher Recruitment and Retention

The host discusses how teacher shortages have been historically caused by declines in candidates entering teaching profession and high rates of teacher turnover, which have both been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Teacher Shortages

Historically, teacher shortages have been caused by declines in candidates entering teaching profession and high rates of teacher turnover.

Both issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Teacher turnover undermines student achievement and school improvement efforts.

Panelist Introductions

Three guests are introduced: Kelly Coash-Johnson, Dr. Alina Zachary Ross, and Dr. Mark Edwards. They bring unique experiences and perspectives on hiring and keeping great teachers.

Kelly Coash-Johnson Introduction

Kelly Coash-Johnson is Executive Director at American Association of School Personnel Administrators (ASPA).

ASPA has been looking at this issue for several years now.

ASPA hosted a national educator shortage summit in February 2021.

ASPA was in DC advocating to lawmakers about the importance of some legislation that affects the teacher shortage.

ASPA is continually looking at retention efforts, best practices, and resources for its members.

Dr. Alina Zachary Ross Introduction

Dr. Alina Zachary Ross is Superintendent at Ypsilanti Community Schools in Michigan.

Ypsilanti Community Schools has a diverse group of 3,700 students with various demographics.

The district has a wonderful array of students with great backgrounds and multiple languages being spoken.

Recruiting and retaining amazing staff members is important for getting the best educators in front of each student.

Dr. Mark Edwards Introduction

Dr. Mark Edwards is Superintendent at Mooresville Graded School District in North Carolina.

Mooresville Graded School District has been recognized as one of the top digital school districts in the country.

The district's success is due to its focus on personalized learning and professional development for teachers.

Introduction

In this section, the speakers introduce themselves and their backgrounds. They discuss the diversity of their district and the importance of having great teachers in every classroom.

Speakers' Backgrounds

Maryland is in central Connecticut, split between Yankee and Red Sox fans.

The district is diverse with 75% non-white students.

77% of students qualify for free or reduced-priced meals.

Great teachers are key to student success.

Poll Results

In this section, a poll is launched to get a sense from attendees about their perspective on teacher vacancies in their districts compared to pre-pandemic times.

Teacher Vacancies Poll Results

Overwhelmingly, teacher vacancies are up significantly or up slightly compared to pre-pandemic times.

Superintendents discuss how they saw this shortage coming before the pandemic but it was exacerbated during it.

Current State of Teacher Workforce

In this section, the speakers discuss the current state of our teacher workforce and how schools across the nation are having trouble filling vacant teacher job openings.

Study Findings

A study from February 2022 found that two-thirds of California school districts surveyed faced an increased number of vacancies over the pre-COVID years.

These districts experienced greater challenges in filling these key positions.

Concerns about Teacher Shortage

In this section, the speaker expresses concerns about the teacher shortage and its impact on education. She also talks about the pressure that is transferred to HR leaders and how they are working hard to support teachers.

Impact of Teacher Shortage

Members from every state in the country are suffering from not having filled all their positions yet.

Classrooms won't be empty, so there will be a need for substitute teachers who may not have full credentials.

Existing teachers may have to cover more in their classroom because of vacancies.

Pressure transfers over to HR leaders who must work hard to make sure supports are in place.

Preparation for Teacher Shortage

The county saw the teacher shortage coming and worked together with partners at Eastern Michigan University to create a peer approach to teacher program.

The program takes current paraprofessionals, pays their tuition at Eastern Michigan University, gives them mentors and support, and certifies them in areas such as special education.

Programs like these take time to put in place but starting early is key.

Factors Impacting Teachers Leaving

In this section, the speaker discusses factors impacting teachers leaving. These include overall stress, asking teachers to do more than they already had on their plates, and competition and pay.

Factors Impacting Teachers Leaving

Overall stress from the pandemic and students feeling overwhelmed.

Asking teachers to do more than they already had on their plates by implementing blended learning during the pandemic.

Competition and pay, with some teachers leaving for better-paying jobs in other districts.

Teacher Retention and Recruitment during COVID-19

In this section, the speakers discuss the challenges of teacher retention and recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also explore some of the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession.

Challenges with Teacher Retention and Recruitment

The speakers agree that forcing current staff to take on more responsibilities is not a solution to the problem.

Meriden was fortunate to have in-person learning as an option, but they still struggle with recruiting special education teachers, physics teachers, and world language vacancies.

The added pressure on teachers professionally due to COVID-19 may be making them consider leaving or retiring early from the profession.

All stakeholders need to work together to elevate teachers' status and show them respect.

Impact of Teaching Environment on Retention Rates

There is no data available on whether there are higher rates of teacher retention among those who teach in a traditional in-person environment versus those who teach online or in hybrid learning.

Meriden surveyed their teachers and found that offering different teaching options helped retain some teachers who would have otherwise taken FMLA leave.

Meeting Teachers' Needs

Meriden created an online school with live teachers for students who could not come back due to health challenges or family issues. This option allowed them to keep some teachers who would have otherwise taken FMLA leave.

To retain more teachers, stakeholders need to continuously meet their needs by providing options that work for them.

Retaining Teachers and Students

The speakers discuss the challenges of retaining teachers and students during the pandemic, and how offering online options helped with retention.

Online Options for Retention

Some teachers faced challenges during the pandemic, but providing an online option helped retain them.

No difference in retention rates between different modalities.

30% of parents chose a remote option, allowing accommodation for teachers who didn't feel comfortable coming back.

Connecticut is a heavily unionized state, but they had a terrific partnership with their unions to support staff and ultimately students and families.

Flexible Scheduling Models for Educators

Including flexible scheduling models for educators is huge for retention efforts overall.

Hybrid and remote options allowed students to log on at different times of the day, making it easier to have teachers supporting them at different times.

Difficulty Filling Teacher Vacancies

The speakers discuss the difficulty districts are having with filling teacher vacancies due to various factors such as compensation, working conditions, smaller teacher pipeline than before, higher rate of teachers leaving the profession due to pressure.

Factors Contributing to Difficulty Filling Teacher Vacancies

100% of respondents reported significant or some difficulty filling teacher vacancies.

Smaller teacher pipeline than before.

Needing to provide more support to students due to flexible learning environments.

Pressure leading to a higher rate of teachers leaving the profession.

Partnerships between School Districts and Higher Ed Institutions

The speaker discusses the partnerships that are happening between school districts and higher ed institutions or their alternative certification programs in their states.

Positive Developments

The partnerships have been remarkable to see grow.

School districts are working with state departments of education more collaboratively.

There is a lot of work being done to make certification for paraprofessionals more accessible and equitable.

Collaboration is Key

Working together can help address common pain points, such as recruitment and data evaluation.

There is much that can be agreed upon and changed together if we know each other's pain points.

Readiness of Teacher Workforce and Their Health

The speaker talks about the readiness of the teacher workforce as well as their health.

Responsibility of School Districts

It is the school district's responsibility to ensure that supports are in place to drive teacher readiness.

Culture is important for both student achievement and retention, so it's essential for school districts to figure out how to get teachers to fit into the culture.

Wellness Support

It falls on the backs of school systems to make sure they have supports in place for teacher wellness.

HR plays a significant role in supporting candidates or employees throughout their journey.

Hiring Process and Partnerships

The speakers discuss getting ahead of the hiring process, partnerships, recognizing problems, issuing durational shortage area permits, and supporting whoever is put in front of the school district.

Getting Ahead of Hiring Process

Getting ahead in the hiring process has been helpful for them.

Partnerships

Terrific partnerships exist between schools and higher ed institutions.

Higher ed institutions are recognizing the same problem as schools and looking for partners to take this on.

Supporting Teachers

It's essential to support whoever is put in front of the school district.

Supporting Teachers and Training Models

In this section, the speakers discuss how they are supporting their teachers and changing their training models to meet the needs of their staff.

Offering Choice in Professional Development

Teachers want choice in their professional development and learning.

YCS offers more tiered and teacher choice options for professional development.

Pre-student teaching is offered to start building relationships with potential future teachers.

Student teachers are encouraged to attend any professional development offered by YCS for no cost.

Retaining Teachers

In this section, the speakers discuss how they retain teachers at YCS.

Early Signing Bonus

YCS offers a stipend early signing bonus if student teachers sign on with them midway through the year.

Many student teachers stay in their same building after graduation and work in the district.

Compassion Resilience Circles

Compassion resilience circles are offered to provide support for staff members.

Retirement conversations are held with staff members to help them understand the benefits of staying within the system.

Positive Outlook on Innovation

In this section, the speakers discuss how they view innovation as a positive outcome of recent changes.

Coherence Among Organizations

There is better coherence among LEAs, third-party organizations, and state departments.

Louisiana State Department is doing innovative work in outreach and support for teachers.

Challenges Impacting Readiness

In this section, the speakers discuss the biggest challenges impacting readiness for the new year.

Teacher Turnover

The single biggest challenge impacting readiness is teacher turnover due to retirement or resignation.

Teacher Retention

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of teacher retention and how it is more important than recruitment. They also talk about what teachers want in terms of advancement opportunities, professional development, and time to collaborate with colleagues.

Importance of Retention

The speakers emphasize that retention is more important than recruitment.

Losing teachers over retirements is one thing, but losing them for other reasons means recruitment efforts are wasted.

Compensation and benefits are not the only factors in retaining teachers.

What Teachers Want

Teachers want advancement opportunities, professional development, and time to collaborate with colleagues.

Programs like leadership academies and educator-led initiatives can help provide these opportunities.

A culture that values innovation and encourages risk-taking can also help retain teachers.

Supporting Teachers

The district supports teachers who want to take on additional responsibilities or pursue their passions.

Providing opportunities for teachers to earn extra income through enrichment programs can benefit both students and teachers.

Listening to teacher feedback is crucial as they are experts who make a difference for students.

Learning from the Pandemic

In this section, the speakers discuss how they have learned from the pandemic in terms of what teachers want and value. They also talk about some new initiatives they have implemented as a result.

Rising Leaders Program

The district received a U.S Department of Education grant for a rising leaders program.

This program includes a formal leadership academy and an informal shadowing program for aspiring principals.

Building Community

The district is focusing on building community by creating a family reunion atmosphere at the start of the school year.

This includes activities like bounce houses, games, and learning stations.

The district also has a sunshine committee that plans monthly events to celebrate staff and students.

Supporting Teachers' Well-being

The district has created oasis rooms in every building to support teachers' well-being.

These rooms provide a quiet space for teachers to relax and recharge during the day.

Importance of Culture in Retaining Educators

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of creating a positive culture within schools to retain educators. They mention small gestures like providing snacks and having an "oasis room" for staff, as well as larger initiatives like the Grizzly Awards.

Creating a Positive Culture

Providing snacks and having an "oasis room" for staff can make a big difference in creating a positive culture.

The Grizzly Awards are like the Oscars and are a fun way to recognize and reward staff.

It's important to bring joy back into learning for both students and staff.

Importance of Culture Continued

In this section, the speakers continue their discussion on the importance of creating a positive culture within schools to retain educators.

The Value of Positive Culture

A positive culture is engaging, responsive, and listens to educators.

Compensation is not the only factor in retaining educators; people want to be part of a positive culture.

National Policy Solutions for Retaining Educators

In this section, the speakers discuss national policy solutions that can help with retaining educators.

National Policy Solutions

Teacher compensation and certification are state-specific issues that should not involve federal government meddling.

Tax credits for teachers, loan forgiveness, tuition assistance, grants, and programs that encourage partnerships with colleges/universities can all help support retention efforts at the national level.

Recruiting a Diverse Workforce

In this section, the speakers discuss recruiting a diverse workforce and how to ensure that it represents the students in our systems.

Building a Diverse Workforce

High school students considering education as a career can help build a diverse pipeline.

Providing resources to support paraprofessionals in becoming full-fledged certified teachers is crucial for building diversity.

Strategies for Recruiting and Supporting Diverse Educators

In this section, the speakers discuss strategies for recruiting and supporting diverse educators in the education system. They talk about incentivizing people to go into education, partnering with higher education institutions, working with unions to get support staff certified to teach, and treating current staff well.

Recruiting Diverse Educators

College partners can be one way of recruiting diverse candidates.

The state needs to incentivize people to go into education.

Work with support staff who are already diverse and help them become certified teachers.

Partnering with higher ed institutions like Relay Graduate Education Program can help in this regard.

Supporting Current Staff Members

Support current staff members by helping them get certified and credentialed.

Work with unions to get support staff members who have bachelor's degrees but never got certified to teach on a pathway towards certification.

Teachers who don't feel prepared when they walk into the classroom have lower retention rates. Therefore, it is important to ensure that our workforce feels prepared before entering the classroom.

Elena's Perspective on Supporting Pipeline of Diverse Educators

Give something else to parents who are interested but cannot make it through the application process.

Treat bipar (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) staff well so that they can refer other diverse candidates.

Explicitly plan on supporting diverse candidates by looking at alternative search methods such as reaching out to those who have certifications but are not currently teaching.

Elena's district targeted diverse candidates who already had certifications but had given up teaching for one reason or another.

Silver Linings in Teacher Recruitment and Retention

In this section, the panelists discuss their silver linings when it comes to teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention. They also provide advice on how to support teachers during the school year.

Importance of Valuing Teachers

It is important to let teachers know how important they are and how much they are valued.

Support for teachers should include grade-level coaching and choice PD.

Creating a positive climate and culture in schools can help retain teachers.

Creative Staffing Solutions

The panelists have not used teachers to support non-teaching vacancies but have been creative with who they put in front of a classroom.

Some paraprofessionals or college students have discovered their passion for teaching through these opportunities.

Positive Changes from COVID-19

The pandemic has allowed schools to try new things such as virtual parent-teacher conferences that can be continued even after the pandemic ends.

The experience has forced educators to be more innovative and creative in their approach to teaching.

Supporting New Teachers

Experienced teachers can help new ones by providing lesson plans aligned with power standards.

New teachers need support from experienced colleagues, especially during times of limited experience.

Overall, valuing and supporting teachers is key to successful recruitment, preparation, and retention. Schools must also be willing to adapt creatively during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting New Teachers

In this section, the speakers discuss how to support new teachers and provide them with a framework of lessons. They emphasize the importance of creating structures that don't rely solely on administrators or mentors but rather on the team.

Providing Support for New Teachers

The curriculum team works with teachers to create a framework of lessons.

Structures should not rely solely on administrators or mentors but rather on the team.

When teachers help create something, they are more engaged and invested in seeing it come to fruition.

Authentic recognition and compensation can show teachers that they are valued.

Education Revolution

In this section, the speakers discuss how education is undergoing a revolution and how educators are in a position to shape its future. They also mention some resources for districts looking to implement changes.

The Future of Education

Education is undergoing a revolution, and educators have an opportunity to shape its future.

Shifts in how we look at education will be critical for success.

A white paper from the Educator Shortage Summit offers tips for PK-12 districts looking to make changes.

High Dosage Tutoring

In this section, the speakers discuss high dosage tutoring as a way to support students academically and with motivation. They also mention challenges that districts may encounter when implementing such programs.

Leveraging High Dosage Tutoring

High dosage tutoring can be an effective way to support students academically and with motivation.

Districts should consider factors such as implementation challenges when implementing high dosage tutoring programs.

Conclusion

In this section, the speakers thank educators for their hard work and dedication. They also provide information about upcoming events and resources.

Thank You to Educators

The speakers thank educators for their hard work and dedication.

Information about upcoming virtual events is provided.