As outlined in The Next Decade: 2020-30 Strategic Plan, the District's 10-year strategic plan, Human Resource Services (HRS) has been tasked with supporting Strategy 1.4, which aims to attract and recruit highly effective and qualified staff who are an excellent match for the district, develop a pipeline of candidates for hard-to-fill areas, and provide support to all employees to enable them to fulfill their role in the mission. Despite the nationwide concern regarding the teacher shortage, the Office of Recruitment & Staffing has been working diligently to ensure that all teaching vacancies are fully staffed with certified individuals.
The team has been successful in creating a different narrative for the Newark Board of Education, with one of the key drivers being the ongoing partnerships established between the District's hiring managers and their assigned recruitment and staffing partners. These partners maintain constant communication with hiring managers on a daily basis, sharing viable candidates using various recruitment platforms. Staffing partners then provide support to new hires, ensuring a smooth and efficient onboarding experience by answering questions and assisting with specific onboarding needs. As a result of these efforts, the District has successfully hired over 500 new teachers.
Several strategies have been implemented to address the issue of teacher shortage, which include, but are not restricted to:
- “Grow Your Own” programs for viable candidates who may be interested in becoming certified teachers
- Mass media recruitment campaign (i.e. radio and billboard campaigns)
- Bonus incentives (i.e. $4,000 for hard-to-fill areas, $4,000 for Bilingual transfer, and $1,000 employee referral)
- Starting salary of $62,000, plus additional earning opportunities, advancement opportunities, and competitive salary options for experienced certified teachers looking to join NBOE
- Exceptional health benefits and additional retention incentives
- Continuous district-wide hiring fairs and participation in career fairs in and out of state, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Advancement opportunities and Leadership Pipeline programs through local university partners
- Unmatched professional development opportunities
If you are not currently a teacher in the District and are interested in a teaching role with NBOE, please visit TEACH NEWARK to learn more!