The end of the K-12 school year traditionally means the start of hiring new teachers for next fall. Escambia County is taking that search to a higher level.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says they’re opening to bring 200-400 new teachers aboard for the 2015-16 term, to make up for those leaving the district, leaving the vocation, or retiring. And the search, he says, is across the academic board.
“Our issues are: one, about attracting quality personnel that would apply for the vacancies, and two, trying to deal with some of those areas where we’ve experienced some shortages, particularly high school/middle school mathematics and science. Those people are in great demand.”
Teams from the Escambia district have been canvassing the Southeast, visiting colleges of education and talking with students about coming to Pensacola to begin their careers. On May 16, and teacher job fair will be held at Booker T. Washington High School.
According to figures from the National Education Association acquired by the Pensacola News Journal, the average pay for a rookie teacher in Escambia County was just under $36,000 in 2012-13. Those with advanced degrees can collect up to $3,600 extra. Thomas says the sales pitch goes beyond salary.
“If you’re sitting in New Jersey or Wisconsin and it’s in the winter time, thinking about a nice, sunny white beach in Florida, pretty attractive,” said Thomas. “We talk about the environment of learning that we are trying to create in Escambia County. We talk about our benefit package; we talk about the support we have from the business community.”
The Escambia School District also offers the START Program -- where first-time teachers are paired with a mentor for one year.
In Santa Rosa County, teacher recruiting for next school year is somewhat lower-key than regional talent searches and job fairs.
“We’ve been very successful looking at the veteran population,” said Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick. “We’re looking at individuals who would like to reenter the teaching profession from another profession. And alternative certification programs across the state have really enabled us to keep pace with that.”
Wyrosdick adds there are two factors driving teacher departures these days: a mass exodus into retirement, and individuals who mean well, but create problems for teachers and those seeking to become teachers.
Another drawback to getting and keeping good instructors is what Wyrosdick considers the “mammoth” amount of federal and state intrusion and the lack of flexibility in the classrooms, school districts and school boards that leads to cookie-cutter approaches to education.
Information on the Escambia County event can be found HERE.
Info on Santa Rosa County is at www.santarosa.k12.fl.us.
