Module 1, Principle 1: Start Early
Effective principals know that to hire the best teachers, they need to start the hiring process early. This is no simple task with numerous stakeholders involved in the hiring process. Most of the time, principals need to collaborate with the district central office to determine the number and types of vacancies to be filled. To better facilitate the hiring process, principals can develop a clear vision and plan for future hires. Ensuring principals are able to hire high-potential candidates before another school hires them means identifying a school’s needs and starting the hiring process early.
Quick Reads
Read Putting Research into Practice: When It’s Time to Hire, Start Early, compiled from the following resources:
- Papay, J. P. & Kraft M. A. (2016). The Productivity Costs of Inefficient Hiring Practices: Evidence from Late Teacher Hiring. Retrieved from https://scholar.harvard.edu/mkraft/publications/delayed-teacher-hiring-and-student-achievement-missed-opportunities-labor-market
- Lowe, J. M. (2006). Rural Education: Attracting and retaining teachers in small schools. Rural Educator, 27(2), 28-32. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ783853.pdf.
- Levin, J., & Quinn, M. (2003). Missed Opportunities: How We Keep High-Quality Teachers out of Urban Classrooms. Retrieved from https://tntp.org/assets/documents/MissedOpportunities.pdf.
Reflection Activity
Complete the activity Hiring Timeline. This will be a draft that you will revisit in the summative activity for this module.
Consider the following questions:
- Based on your experience, what barriers exist to hiring early in your district?
- What can you do before next year to try to overcome those barriers to hiring early?