Hiring and Retaining High-Quality Teachers: What Principals Can Do

Abstract

Many Catholic school principals have limited assistance from their respective central offices in the recruitment and selection of teachers, especially if their objective is to recruit candidates of color or candidates for a particular subject area. Aware that teacher quality is related to student achievement, Catholic school principals must employ up-to-date, effective recruitment and hiring strategies to compete for qualified candidates in today's market. Mindful that teacher recruitment programs alone will not solve staffing problems, principals must remain vigilant for causes of low retention and strategize to retain their high-quality teachers. Implementing an intensive induction and mentoring program with expert colleagues throughout the year can reduce teacher turnover and expenses. (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)