HCPSS Prepares to Bring New Teachers on Board for 2018-19 School Year

May 7th, 2018

Preparation for each new school year begins well in advance for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), and the process of bringing in new teachers to fill anticipated vacancies for 2018-2019 is already underway.

The annual process consists of several steps orchestrated by Human Resources staff in collaboration with curriculum offices and school administrators. First, estimates of the projected student enrollment for each school are prepared, and compared to the numbers of students anticipated to fill each grade level and/or content area. Anticipated needs for teachers due to planned retirements or other reasons are also considered. Because enrollment levels fluctuate at each school, the number of teachers needed at each school may increase or decrease. As a result, some current staff members are placed on a surplus list in April, meaning they will be placed at another school where additional teachers will be needed because attendance is projected to increase.

Openings are filled first by teachers on the surplus list, followed by those returning from leave. Teachers have an opportunity to explore openings and meet with school administrators during a Surplus Fair held in April. Typically, additional teaching positions in some content areas will still be unfilled after the surplus teachers and those returning from leave have been placed. Human Resources staff then begin the process of hiring new teacher graduates or experienced teachers from other school districts.

Human Resources accepts applications for employment throughout the year. Applications are initially screened by Human Resources staff, and eligible candidates are invited to a preliminary interview with Human Resources and/or curriculum staff. Those recommended for hiring are made available to principals for consideration once the list of available vacancies is finalized. School administrators will then schedule interviews based on the available candidates.

Newly hired teachers are supported throughout their first three years with HCPSS through a comprehensive teacher induction program. The first step is a New Teachers Orientation (NTO), which new teachers attend in August before the start of the new school year. The 3-day program, overseen by the Teacher and Paraprofessional Development Office, is adapted to each cohort of new hires. Separate sessions are tailored for new teaching graduates, veteran teachers new to the HCPSS, those returning from an extended leave, and those changing grade levels or content areas. For each, the goal is to provide the information and personalized support needed to get off to a good start from the first day of school.

For the 2018-2019 school year, a planned increase in the student-teacher ratio and changes to the elementary and middle school world language program has resulted in a higher-than-usual number of surplus teachers. However, additional openings are anticipated in many content areas, including special education, science, math, and others where there is a high demand for teachers nationally. Human Resources will continue to screen and schedule interviews throughout the summer. Critical need openings are posted on the HCPSS website. All new teacher hires for 2018-2019 will be invited to attend the NTO program on August 14-16.

Additional information about teacher hiring at HCPSS, including details of the application process, list of critical shortage areas, and frequently asked questions, are provided at Teacher Careers.