Staffing Solutions: Hiring and Retaining Top Talent
When students of color see themselves reflected in their instructors’ identities and in the curriculum, studies show that the positive impact on student achievement is far reaching, not only for students of color, but for all students.
– John B. King, Jr.
INTRO
Many schools and districts are struggling to hire and retain talented teachers, with small candidate pools and other constraints. In this Crowdsource Coffee, school leaders shared concerns and best practices for the upcoming hiring cycle.
OBJECTIVES
- Review the provided resources (on your own and/or with your leadership team) for a better understanding of what’s driving challenges with hiring and retaining educators and what you can do about it
- Start planning how you’ll approach hiring and retaining top talent that reflects your school community going forward
RESOURCES
ACTIVITY
- Review the provided resources (on your own and/or with your leadership team)
- What stands out to you as insightful, surprising, or that just hits home?
5 WAYS TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT TEACHER RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
- Create culturally affirming school environments
- Affirm teachers’ humanity and racial identity
- Support, empower, and invest in teachers
- Build a schoolwide “family”
- Adopt a district priority related to retaining teachers of color
4 WAYS SCHOOL LEADERS CAN DISRUPT THE CULTURE OF TURNOVER FOR TEACHERS OF COLOR
- Value teachers of color by providing loan forgiveness, service scholarships, loan repayment incentives, and relocation incentives for teachers coming into the field
- Collect and disaggregate data (by race/ethnicity) on teacher recruitment, hiring, and retention
- Invest in the recruitment, preparation, and development of strong, diverse leaders committed to positive working conditions for a diverse workforce
- Empower teachers of color by ensuring curricula, as well as learning and work environments, are inclusive and respectful of all racial and ethnic groups
REFLECTION
- Does your educator population reflect the demographics of your student population?
- Yes, you can probably know this answer broadly just through observation, but numbers tell a powerful story, too. Gather demographic reports for your staff and students to compare.
- Where are the discrepancies? Why do they exist? How can they be rectified?
- Yes, you can probably know this answer broadly just through observation, but numbers tell a powerful story, too. Gather demographic reports for your staff and students to compare.
- Are your teachers happy? Are they looking for work elsewhere?
- Don’t just listen to the grapevine. Ask. For example, anonymous surveys can be useful tools, but only if they’re followed by swift, direct, relevant, and meaningful action.
- Where are your areas of strength? Where is the room for improvement? Why do they exist? How can they be rectified?
- Even though they’re anonymous, they should account for demographics. Take notice of differences in responses – who are your happy teachers? Who are those thinking of leaving? Do demographics play a role? If so, why and what can be done?
- Where are your areas of strength? Where is the room for improvement? Why do they exist? How can they be rectified?
- Don’t just listen to the grapevine. Ask. For example, anonymous surveys can be useful tools, but only if they’re followed by swift, direct, relevant, and meaningful action.
TIPS
- Check out this video from our October 20, 2022, Crowdsource Webinar with Santiam Canyon Superintendent, Todd Miller, for how you can connect your hiring and retention efforts to your school identity and maxims.
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