Pre-pandemic, Massachusetts’ King Philip Regional High School would receive up to 200 teacher applications during its spring hiring season. Today, a single job posting may remain unfilled throughout an entire school year—a common trend nationwide.
“It [COVID-19] has definitely changed the landscape,” says Principal Nicole Bottomley, a principal of 13 years. “It was very difficult in terms of hiring. I would say even now, we’re starting to see a little bit of a return, but not anywhere near what we used to have.”
By mid-2025, roughly one in eight teaching positions (or more than 411,000 posts) were either vacant or staffed by under-certified educators, according to national data.
However, talent scarcity doesn’t stop Bottomley from seeking high-quality teachers. There are still non-negotiables—for example, applicants must care deeply about students and “seeing kids succeed.”
“They [applicants] have to understand that students should have a voice,” she explains. “I want to make sure that they value student voice and agency, especially at the high school level.”
She also values applicants who acknowledge they don’t have all the answers and who convey a growth mindset during the job interview.
“We’re really looking for individuals who understand that it is a continuous learning experience,” Bottomley says.
Collaborative hiring and teacher burnout
Students know exactly what they want from their teacher, which is why Bottomley includes two to three students on her interview committee alongside assistant principals and department leaders.
“Our kids are involved in all aspects of the school, and the hiring process shouldn’t be any different,” she argues. “These educators are going to be working directly with our students. Students should be involved in that hiring process.”
It’s also a great way to prepare students for their own job interviews, she adds.
When it comes to retention, Bottomley protects teachers from burnout by not overloading them with new responsibilities.
“Every year that I’ve been in education, more and more is asked of teachers,” she says. “There’s so much that teachers are asked to do outside of their initial teaching responsibilities from bell to bell: attendance, paperwork, documenting the needs of students. There’s just a long list that I think has increased over time.”
Principal-teacher communication is critical. However, leaders must carefully plan their interactions to avoid disrupting a teacher’s work-life balance. For example, Bottomley drafts emails on Sunday evenings and schedules them to send on Monday morning.
“I recognize that as a principal, if I’m sending an email at 10:00 on a Sunday night, teachers feel like they have to read it because their principal sent it,” she explains. “I don’t want anyone feeling like that.”
Above all, teachers want to feel valued and respected. That’s a lesson she’s learned throughout her 26 years in education and from exit interviews with teachers.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” Bottomley says, quoting Maya Angelou.
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