As of September 2022, research into the National Teacher Shortage shows there are more than 36,500 teacher vacancies in the nation, and more than 163,500 positions filled by teachers who aren’t fully certified or are not certified in the subject area they’re teaching. With so many open positions, and so much difficulty finding the right teachers and therapists to fill open positions in your school district, what can you do to combat this teacher shortage head on – before it negatively impacts your students’ learning?

Listen To What Teachers Say and Need

According to a report by the National Education Association (NEA), teachers often feel they are not heard within their workplace. This perceived lack of voice is one factor contributing to the teacher shortage. Teachers who left their jobs were more likely to say they lacked influence over school policy or what takes place in their classrooms. They also stated a general lack of cooperation among teachers made them want to find a new position or career.

If you want to overcome the shortage of qualified teachers in your school, you must listen to teachers and take their concerns, ideas and needs with a deep level of sincerity.

Create a Supportive School Environment

Nurturing a stronger learning community within your school, one that acknowledges and fosters teacher collaboration, can help overcome the National Teacher Shortage. While it may not actively find new teachers for your district, it can improve the longevity of those currently on staff, as well as improve your reputation and the word-of-mouth reviews teachers share when they are working in your school.

Partner With an Expert School Recruiter

If you are looking to hire new in-school teachers or therapists, the best place to turn is to an expert school recruiter like the folks at Spotter Staffing. Recruiting agencies have deep pools of talent and ties to their community, as well as to universities and local schools, to help you funnel teachers and therapists into the open positions within your district. If you are having trouble finding, or keeping, teachers and therapists in your school, having a conversation with a recruiter can help you uncover problems you may not even be aware are sabotaging your recruiting and retention efforts – and help you solve them.

Let Spotter Staffing Help You Find Better Teachers and Therapists

If your school is looking to hire an occupational therapist, physical therapist, social worker, special education teacher, or speech-language pathologist, Spotter Staffing can help! We have been providing teachers and therapists to top schools in Illinois and Texas for years. Reach out to our team of expert recruiters and let us know who you are looking for, we will be happy to help you overcome the teacher shortage today!