SCCPSS addresses teacher shortage, nearly 150 vacancies
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – The Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) needs more teachers with officials reporting that they have nearly 150 open positions.
SCCPSS officials told WSAV the system has a little over 2,700 teacher positions, with 149 vacancies. Now, they said that retention and recruitment are at the top of their priority list.
Superintendent Denise Watts held a presser on Wednesday, commenting on what the system is looking for.
'We are in the season of hiring, attracting and also retaining, as well as recognizing highly effective staff and continuing to have an effective workforce,' Watts said.
It is shortage that Executive Director of Talent Service, Michel Pantin, said is leading to changes in the way some schools are teaching children.
'Sometimes we have substitutes,' she said. 'Sometimes principals are leveraging technology to teach in multiple classes. Our principals are really working around the schedule in their building to meet the needs of the students that they serve.'
It is a dramatic change that Chief of Human Resources Ramon Ray said they started to notice shortly before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
'We had our issues with colleges producing certified teachers,' Ray said. 'So then now we are trying to also fill that gap'
Filling those gaps mean having a different approach. Ray and Pantin told WSAV 'retention is the new recruitment.' Listening and addressing teacher issues are just some ways they plan to keep teachers in the classroom.
'We get into teacher burnout,' Pantin said. 'Teachers have voiced many concerns about more is being put on our plate and nothing is being taken away. Our Office of School Leadership and our Office of Instructional Excellence have worked together to make sure that we're not putting more initiatives…'
The biggest change the system wants to make for teachers is making sure their salaries are competitive with schools statewide.
'So, we're competitive, particularly at the lower level,' Ray said. 'We looked at some of the data, we kind of fall off on the ladder and as you get to the 15-year mark. So hopefully with the compensation study, we'll be able to, you know, have the recommendations to kind of level out things so that we're not only competitive in the beginning, but we're also competitive throughout which we are in some areas.'
Ray also said they were able to hire 58 educators at Saturday's hiring fair, with over 100 in attendance. This is just another strategy they are using to bring people on board.
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