Principal preparation programs devote very little time to showing future principals how to recruit, hire, support, and retain solid teachers. Yet school staff are a major part of every school budget and have one of the biggest impacts on student achievement, so hiring and retaining talent is key. The authors give specific actions and approaches…

Susan Moore Johnson, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and leading scholar on school staffing, highlights research from the Project on the Next Generation of Teachers showing the importance of inclusive leadership and team-based structures in improving teacher recruitment and retention. School context is key in determining…

For teachers, emotional intelligence and emotional resilience are foundational qualities to thriving and staying in the profession. The author asserts that to retain more teachers, we must attend to each teacher's emotional resilience in preparation programs, in the hiring process, and in the ways we support teachers, especially novices.

Schools need to think more like other industries to seek top talent and reframe the teaching profession. Herrmann argues that if schools can more actively and aggressively recruit teachers to their schools, the reputation of the teaching profession will be enhanced and more high-quality teachers will be attracted to the job.

Alternative routes into teaching, particularly in urban school districts, are becoming increasingly prevalent. Four features capture the range of variation in these programs: the nature of the provider, specific labor market needs, the timing and focus of coursework and fieldwork, and the focus of recruitment and selection. The issue of student…

The author of this article, a principal, describes the hiring process of new teachers at his school, New City School. At his school, he assumes that pedagogical skills are a given, but he concentrates more on determining the right match between institution and individual. He also relates that he often involves his staff members in the interviews…

Provides six research-based domains of teacher effectiveness: Prerequisites of effective teachers, teacher as a person, classroom management and organization, organizing for instruction, implementing instruction, and monitoring students progress and potential. Describes how six domains can guide teacher-selection process. (PKP)

Case studies of six school districts point to ineffective, even detrimental teacher selection practices (recruitment limitations, screening criteria biases, hiring irregularities, and traumatic teacher orientations) and suggest ways for policymakers to help districts attract, employ, and retain talented teachers. Includes eight references. (MLH)

Pellicer claims that personal interviews for selecting teachers can be made more reliable by using a structured approach. In response, Muller agrees that the structured interview is better than informal procedures, but states that the instrument used must be the product of careful research. (Author/MLF)

Tests by themselves will not ensure teacher competency, but they can be a useful part of a teacher selection and induction program. (Author)

New teacher applicants in Dallas (Texas) are screened by a formally scored interview, an essay writing exercise, and a test of verbal and quantitative ability. (MLF)

All teacher applicants in Pinellas County (Florida) must pass a screening test. Self-instructional materials are provided on request. (Author/MLF)

Proposals to improve teacher quality often focus on hiring teachers with the right combination of personality, values, and knowledge and skills. The author suggests that although these elements of teacher quality are important, schools also need to pay attention to the conditions of classroom life that can determine teaching quality. She…

Describes principal William Corbett and the characteristics that make him an effective principal; his foremost strength is commitment to the instructional program. (JM)