June 17, 2019
Think outside the box: How to
leverage tech in teacher recruitment
The following article was submitted by
Donna Glassman-Sommer, executive director
of California Center on Teaching Careers.
The need for talented teachers in our
K-12 classrooms is constant. For the first
time in years, there was a slight increase in
the number of aspiring teachers enrolling
in preparation programs in California,
according to the latest CTC teacher
supply report. While this is good news,
more teacher candidates are still needed.
Reaching these people can be challenging,
especially for schools not located near col-
leges with training programs. California
has invested in free technological resourc-
es, offered by the California Center on
Teaching Careers, that can be helpful in
agency- and district-level talent recruit-
ment searches.
Underlying each of these resources is
technology, which can provide limitless
opportunities to reach exponentially more
candidates for your school community —
if you know how to leverage it. Here are a
few suggestions:
Get social
Even with a slight increase in the
number of aspiring teachers, California is
experiencing a teacher shortage. In many
ways, this gives educators the upper hand.
They can look around and find the right
fit for their professional needs. With that,
districts and schools need to be actively
courting talent.
One way to do that is through the
Center’s portal, which acts like a Match.
com between schools and teachers.
Anyone can set up a profile in mere
minutes, plus their profile is automati-
cally accessible on EDJOIN, an online
clearinghouse for virtually all California
education job postings. When a teacher
or aspiring teacher is looking for a posi-
tion, this profile functionality provides
the information needed to match a new
teacher to a district, school or charter
management organization that would be
a fit.
Get organized
Over the past five years, California
has experienced a dramatic increase in
Short-Term Staff Permits (STSPs) and
Provisional Internship Permits (PIPs).
These credentials are short-term. Yet, in
many cases, STSPs and PIPs represent
people who can become excellent, dedi-
cated classroom teachers. The path from
a STSP or PIP to a preliminary creden-
tial mandates completion of a series of
requirements.
The Center is relaunching an
enhanced, updated and free collaborative
app that enables school leaders to track
their PIP and STSP teachers’ progress
and to coach them through the process.
Through assisting schools and districts,
the goal is to address the pool of interns
and more than 6,000 PIP and STSP per-
mit holders in California and to ultimate-
ly boost the number of fully credentialed
teachers statewide.
Go virtual
Can you imagine finding the perfect
teaching job or candidate in your pajamas?
It’s now possible as this school year, the
Center started convening online Virtual
Job Fairs — complete with personalized
avatars and simulated booths — through-
out the state. By providing an online
gathering place, the Virtual Job Fairs are
connecting aspiring teachers with both
education agencies and teacher training
and credentialing programs at institutes of
higher education. Pre-registration means
connections are made automatically based
on vacancies and each candidate’s specific
qualifications. Candidates can connect
with schools and districts at the fair via
chat rooms or after.
The Center held five Virtual Job Fairs
between November 2018 and May 2019,
which:
• Connected more than 5,010 pro-
spective teachers with 156 California
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and
universities. The teacher candidate pool
represented 42 countries outside of the
“Can you imagine find-
ing the perfect teaching
job or candidate in your
pajamas? It’s now
possible as this school
year, the Center started
convening online Virtual
Job Fairs — complete
with personalized
avatars and simulated
booths.”
United States.
• Created instant networking opportu-
nities for candidates as well as LEAs and
universities through over 21,285 live chat
sessions.
• Resulted in nearly 2,960 job applica-
tions submitted through EDJOIN.
These free online tools break down
geographical barriers to the traditional
in-person career fair model. Virtual Job
Fairs not only allow interested candidates
from throughout California to learn about
options in desirable areas within the state,
but also open California-based hiring
entities to a nationwide — and in some
cases international — pool of teaching
candidates.
Virtual Job Fairs are grouped by geo-
graphic region and more online fairs will
be announced for the fall. Visit the Center
at californiateach.org for more informa-
tion on how your district, agency or LEA
can participate.
Donna Glassman-Sommer is the exec-
utive director of the California Center on
Teaching Careers, a program within the
Tulare County Office of Education under the
direction of Tim A. Hire, county superinten-
dent of schools.
EDCAL 5
Transitions
After nearly seven years as the principal
of Arcadia High School, Brent Forsee
was promoted to the position of Assistant
Superintendent of Educational Services for
the Arcadia Unified School District during
the Board of Education’s May 28 meeting.
Forsee succeeds Jeff Wilson, who is being
recommended to be named as the next
Superintendent of the San Marino Unified
School District. Forsee and Wilson are
scheduled to begin their new positions on
July 1, 2019.
Under Dr. Forsee’s leadership, Arcadia
High School has been named a Gold
Medal School by U.S. News and World
Report on three separate occasions.
Arcadia High has also been named in
the top 1 percent of all U.S. public high
schools, while also landing in the top 1
percent for having the best public high
school teachers in the country according
to Niche. Last year, Arcadia High School’s
graduating class had a remarkable 100 per-
cent graduation rate.
nnn
The Huntington Beach City School
District is announcing the retirement of
Assistant Superintendent of Educational
Services Jennifer Shepard after 32 years
of distinguished service in California K-12
public education. Shepard has served the
last 8.5 years in Huntington Beach. The
earlier years of her career service included
administrative roles in the Lowell Joint
School District, Fullerton School District,
and Ontario-Montclair School District
where she also served as a teacher and
BTSA Director. She is grateful for the
ability to have positively impacted so many
students, staff, and families over these
many years.
Assuming the role of Assistant
Superintendent for the district is Cynthia
Guerrero. A recent ACSA State and
Region 17 Administrator of the Year,
Guerrero has served the district with
distinction as Director of Child, Welfare
& Attendance, and Principal of Sowers
Middle School and Eader Elementary.
june
23-29 Principals’ Summer Institute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UCLA
24-28 Institute for New & Aspiring Principals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UCLA
august
16-17
16-17
23-24
23-24
23-24
30-31
Special Education Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . El Monte
Special Education Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redwood City
C & I Leaders Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monrovia
C & I Leaders Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rancho Cordova
Special Education Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bakersfield
Special Education Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sacramento
REGISTER TODAY! Visit www.acsa.org/academies
september
6-7
6-7
6-7
13-14
13-14
13-14
13-14
13-14
13-14
13-14
13-14
C & I Leaders Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salinas
English Learner Academy (Start Date). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Covina
Superintendents Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sacramento
C & I Leaders Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Costa Mesa
Equity Administrators Academy (Start Date). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fairfield
Personnel Administrators Academy (Start Date). . . . . . . . . . . Burlingame
Personnel Administrators Academy (Start Date). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irvine
Principals Academy (Start Date). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bakersfield
School Business Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sacramento
School Business Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Bernardino
Special Education Academy (Start Date) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Riverside
SEPTEMBER 27-29, 2019 | PASÉA HOTEL & SPA | HUNTINGTON BEACH
REGISTER TODAY:
http://bit.ly/2EYEmYg