As the superintendent of Hopedale schools, I believe that by offering our students a computer science pathway throughout their middle and high school years, we are setting up a great opportunity for our students.
If you're in the unenviable position of finding people to fill the shoes of some of your best former teachers, know that you're not alone. Let's take a closer look at why teachers are leaving their jobs and dive into some ways you can beat the odds.
Rural superintendents could soon have a more compelling pitch for job candidates who are on the fence: up to $25,000 in student loan forgiveness for teachers who take hard-to-fill positions in remote districts.
Given the data around the number of new teachers leaving the profession within their first few years, it's clear that efforts toward retaining teachers must begin as early as possible in a teacher's career.
One teacher at a time, nonprofit groups try to address the lack of teachers in the Mississippi Delta. After years of inaction, the state is finally stepping in to help them with exam preparation programs expanding across the state. They also recently secured a $4.1 million grant to create new pathways for teachers to get licensed.
Following the trend of gamifying instruction, districts are now using training programs that allow users to score points, move up levels and earn other digital rewards.
The booming economy means a shortage of school bus drivers in many parts of the country. In Maine, the situation was so bad one school had to cancel classes for a day.
For educators, the big challenge is figuring out how best to teach students not just to receive knowledge but to apply it. Educators are also experimenting with approaches like “project-based” and “student-centered” learning, that encourage collaboration and solving complex problems that have applications for the real world.
Facing declines in enrollment, funding and hiring pools, many rural K12 districts work to employ creative solutions to fill gaps and provide the necessary educational resources for students.
