Staffing High-Needs Schools: Insights from the Nation's Best Teachers

• Published in: Phi Delta Kappan Vol. 89; no. 10; pp. 766 - 771
• Main Author: Berry, Barnett
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Phi Delta Kappa International, Inc 01.06.2008; SAGE Publications; Phi Delta Kappa International; Phi Delta Kappa
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic Standards; Class Size; Education policy; Educational administration; Educational Change; Educational Facilities Improvement; Educational Improvement; Educational Needs; Educational Researchers; Educational Resources; Excellence in Education; Faculty Development; Federal Programs; Financial incentives; Incentives; Instructional Improvement; Interprofessional Relationship; Preschool Education; Professional development; Recruitment; School Effectiveness; Shortages; Staffing; Students; Teacher Administrator Relationship; Teacher education; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher leadership; Teacher Persistence; Teacher recruitment; Teachers; Teaching Conditions; Teaching Load; TEACHING: A DEVELOPING PROFESSION; Working conditions; Young Children; North Carolina; United States > US; Ohio
• ISSN: 0031-7217; 1940-6487
• DOI: 10.1177/003172170808901017

This article provides a summary of the five major recommendations from the nation's highly accomplished teachers on the problems in staffing high-needs schools. Insights from these teachers reveal that salary incentives alone will not suffice to attract and retain good teachers for high-needs schools. Working conditions matter--most notably, access to good principals and skilled colleagues, smaller class sizes and student loads, high-quality professional development, and classroom resources necessary to help students meet high academic standards. (Contains 9 endnotes.)