(New York City) Schools Chief Bans Hiring of Teachers From Outside

New York Times ^ | May 6, 2009 | Javier C. Hernandez

[reaganaut1]

Anticipating significant budget cuts to New York City schools in the coming year, Chancellor Joel I. Klein ordered principals on Wednesday to stop hiring teachers from outside the system, a move that will force them to look internally at a pool that, according to an independent report, includes many subpar teachers.

The Education Department suggested that principals could fill spots with teachers in the so-called absent teacher reserve pool, which includes educators whose jobs have been eliminated because of school closings or downsizing.

Mr. Klein’s order marked a turnaround for the department, which had resisted efforts to find permanent teaching jobs for the 1,100 teachers in the pool, many of whom came from poor-performing schools and were six times as likely to have received an unsatisfactory rating than teachers not in the pool, according to the independent report. The Education Department had been content to pay their salaries while they worked as substitutes.

...

The hiring restrictions seem to throw a wrench into what has been a hallmark of Mr. Klein’s education reform efforts: giving principals the freedom to hire educators of their choice as they try to create high-performing schools.

...

In 2008, the city hired 5,725 teachers, including about 2,000 rookie teachers from programs like Teach for America or the city’s Teaching Fellows program. Larry Becker, who oversees human resources for the school system, said the city expected a large enough demand in certain high-needs areas that it could still hire about half the number of teachers it usually does from Teach for America and the Teaching Fellows program.

Timothy Daly, who runs the New Teacher Project, said he was worried that principals would no longer be able to find the best fits for their schools.

[reaganaut1]

Government schools are run for the sake of the teachers unions, not the students. Some research finds that "outsiders" such as Teach for America people (who typically majored in a real subject, not "education") outperform other teachers.

[1rudeboy]

We have the same problem in Chicago.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Ditto in the Twin Cities. Schools were run for the administrators and teachers. If the students received benefits, it was accidental.

[fleagle]

I’ll tell you, from what I’ve seen in my education classes, which are made up primarily of career-changers, the combination of skills in a particular area (science, math, English) combined with some instruction on classroom management, makes for some darn fine teachers. Schools that ignore career-changers and non-traditional teachers are making a huge mistake.

[1rudeboy]

Schools that ignore career-changers and non-traditional teachers are making a huge mistake.

That's the problem I was discussing with a Chicago administrator. She said that she's seeing all sorts of candidates who would make fine teachers based on their experience alone, but can't hire them because she has to go to the list of "displaced" (don't remember if that's the exact term) teachers first.

And she said the primary reason a teacher gets displaced in the first place is because of incompetence.

[madinmadtown]

Look for the Union label.

[fleagle]

Yep. Along with “displaced” teachers, school districts are hiring teachers who require less pay than more seasoned professionals. Schools aren’t making it attractive for career-changers, what with the ridiculous amount of classes one needs to take to get certified....all to enter a career where many will take a sometimes substantial paycut.

[Cacique]

btt