Beginning this week, schools across the country are preparing to welcome their students and faculty back as the new academic year begins. While it is a time of renewed excitement for what the year will bring, educational leaders are also facing increasing challenges and issues including recruiting and sustaining a well-qualified teacher workforce, the impact of AI, issues of bridging inequities in the classroom and how to address increasing concerns about student and youth mental health and well-being.
The Canopy Project, launched by the Christensen Institute in 2018, is a national study focused on creating student-centered and equitable learning environments in schools across the United States. In April 2024, The Canopy Project released new data based on a survey conducted with leaders from 189 of the country’s most innovative schools. In this survey, school leaders were asked to identify the issues that are keeping them up at night and some of the new approaches and groundbreaking solutions they are implementing to address these changes.
School leaders selected teacher workforce issues as the top factor that they think will transform the education sector. While some respondents said they have struggled to recruit teachers in general, they particularly have trouble finding those with skills geared to working with non-traditional instructional models. When asked about solutions, 65% of the survey respondents reported they have implemented some form of flexible or alternative staffing model to solve their workforce-related issues.
Creative recruitment and retention strategies need to be implemented to address persistent teacher shortages. This includes offering better support and incentives to attract and retain quality educators. At Stronger Consulting, we have supported many school operators to understand the features of employment that are important to their school staffers, and build robust and responsive total rewards programs.
Most organizations start with their budgets, the direction from leadership and all the conventions of salary and benefits in the marketplace and then build the packages with these limitations in mind. Though common, this is upside down in my view. This discounts the most critical voice, that of the people.
I encourage you to center strategies around teachers, school leaders and other critical roles, discover what matters to these individuals first. This honors them as individuals and humans. No, it won’t be a single clear answer, but by asking, you change the power dynamics.
If you want to do staffing better, then centering practices on people and having equity and transparency at the center of your approach will yield a more humanistic and still data driven result. We would love to support you in exploring this work. Reach out right now if you want to schedule a call.
Fostering environments where both educators and children can thrive requires a focus on adaptability and innovation. As leaders in the industry we need to be proactive in the approaches we use to address current and future challenges.
Wishing you a successful start to the new 2024-25 school year! Educators, leaders, parents, kids and communities, let’s stay engaged and connected because no matter the challenges or the opportunities, we are Stronger Together!
