Critical Issue #3: Best Practices in Recruitment and Retention of Special Education-related Personnel

The planning and ongoing implementation of recruitment and retention of special education related personnel is an essential component of state and local-level policy and practice that leads to an increase in both the quantity and quality of qualified personnel for high-need areas.

The Center offers the following resources for your state in developing and implementing best practices for recruitment and retention of qualified personnel for children with disabilities:

Issue brief
This six-page document outlines the issues and essential elements of effective practices for personnel recruitment and retention at the local level. Based on best practices from research and models from successful practice at the local level, it is a resource for state and local staff interested in creating their own personnel recruitment and retention initiatives.

Webcast and Power Point Presentation
View the video presentation and follow along with his power point and script, as Dr. George Ann Rice, service provider for the Personnel Improvement Center, presents a 30 minute review of these best practices. The presentation includes both challenges and solutions to personnel recruitment and retention for SEAs, LEAs and IHEs.

Read more about the Center’s Attracting, Developing and Supporting New and Exisiting Personnel services and tools.

The following presentation provides an overview of how to utilize Facebook as a tool for recruitment. (PPT)

Read the Center’s literature reviews on Best Practices in Personnel Recruitment and Retention.

Blog about this issue with others:

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Posted March 5, 2010

There was an intersting teacher survey reported on 3/3 in the Washington Post sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that said that supportive leadership often trumps performance pay or salary incentives to help retain staff. So we know that even though principals have alot on their plates, supportive leadership is critical for a successful school.

Posted March 4, 2010

Unfortunately, I missed the webinar, but just went through the slides. I would have loved to have heard the presentation. As you made clear, principals have a huge impact on student achievement through the culture and infrastructure of the school and, importantly, through the teachers. While everyone is familiar with the demands on a teacher (25+ totally different students with strengths and deficits in different areas; paperwork demands; etc.), I'm not sure how familiar people are with the huge range of roles and responsibilities principals have on them. Beyond knowing special education regulations, principals must be managers of budget, grounds, etc as well as their most important job of instructional leader. Many principals don't feel well prepared to do both. Policy-type changes in higher education, professional standards, evaluation, in-service support can help alleviate these issues. Recently, we (Project Forum & NIUSILeadScape) held a forum on this topic (principal preparedness to serve students with disabilities). The proceedings document can be found at www.projectforum.org through the search engine. What thoughts do others have about how to alleviate the problems of principals with too much on their plates?

Posted March 3, 2010

We would also encourage you to share some of your best ideas for supporting and retaining special education teachers. George Ann Rice

Posted March 3, 2010

Let us hear from you on what you think are the most critical issues facing the building principal in supporting special education and related services personnel.

Phoebe Gillespie PIC Director

Posted March 1, 2010

Greetings colleagues:

All this week, the Personnel Improvement Center is hosting a "blog-a-thon" to encourage our constituents to discuss their issues related to principal supports for special educators and related service providers at the building level. Please tell us about your challenges, barriers and possible solutions to the high attrition rates for this population of personnel and what principals can do to support them.

We look forward to this timely discussion!

Phoebe Gillespie PIC Director

Posted November 10, 2009

Our national recruitment coodinator can help you locate resources for finding a job in special education, early intervention and the related service professions. Contact Michele Hopkins @ 1-866-BECOME1 or info@personnelcenter.org. Also check out our employment page at http://www.personnelcenter.org/seekers.cfm

Posted August 19, 2009

I am an intervention specialist with 10 years full-time experience in working with mild to moderate learning disabled. I am looking for a job NOW!!!! Can you direct me in the right direction? I would like to work near Dayton, Ohio (in southwestern Ohio). I have references and a resume.