Georgia Teaching Force Program

1
Georgia Teaching Force Program

• NAAC/NCAC Conference 2007
• Cyndy Stephens and Gail Sherer
• Georgia
• Professional Standards Commission
• USDOE Transition to Teaching Grant Project

2
Credits

• Partners with the Division for Educator Workforce
  Recruitment, Research and Development in the
  Georgia Professional Standards Commission
  
• USDOE Transition to Teaching Program
• Metro Area Chamber of Commerce
• The IBM Corporation
• Oconee Regional Education Service Agency
• University of Georgia Center for Continuing
  Education
  

3
The Problem

• School systems in Georgia had 14,000 teacher
  openings for the 2006 school year. An estimated
  18,000 teacher openings will exist in the 2007
  school year. Of the 14,000 teachers needed in
  2006, Georgias colleges and universities
  produced only about 5,000.
• As of November 2006, over 1,000 teacher slots in
  Georgia remained unfilled these unfilled
  positions affect approximately 30,000 students.
  

4
Need for Teachers

• School systems in Georgia will need to hire
  between 170,000 to 200,000 new teachers in the
  next decade. The exact number will be driven by
  policies, student enrollment and attrition
  impact.
• As Georgias curriculum is revamped and more
  emphasis and rigor included in areas such as Math
  and Science, Georgia will need more qualified
  teachers in these areas.
• Improvements in the States high school
  graduation rate will equate to more students in
  the classroom and the need for additional
  teachers.

5
Need to Recruit FOR Retention

• Using the industry cost standard for replacing a
  trained and credentialed professional, school
  systems spend approximately 40,000 per
  individual replaced
• Time, training and diversion from other necessary
  and time-sensitive duties for HR and other
  recruiting staff and others who support the
  recruiting process
• Advertising and Promotional Materials Design,
  production and distribution
  
• Travel and travel resources
• Legal and other fees for contracts, etc.
• Interviews and referral processes, time and
  personnel
  
• Processing new employees for hiring
• Orientation and first-level induction activities
• Principal and other administrator and peer mentor
  support
  
• Induction years training in student achievement
  requirements and strategies, NCLB/IDEA
  requirements and measures, content, school
  improvement, etc.
• Others as identified by individual LEAs, schools
  and as needed for individual new hires or new
  groups, etc.
  
• And the Cycle Begins Again with the Next
  Replacement
  

6
What Does This Mean?

• The Georgia Professional Standards Commission
  (PSC) projects that 45.5 or 50,160 of all of
  the 110,135 teachers that comprised the 2006
  teacher workforce will leave the classroom for a
  variety of reasons by 2012.
• Conservative estimates quantify the costs of
  teacher attrition in Georgia at 81 million
  annually. The PSCs estimate of teacher
  attrition is higher (300 million annually)
  because the PSC includes in this estimate costs
  associated with recruitment, induction programs,
  training, orientation, developing materials, etc

7
How does turnover impact student achievement?

• Constant churn disables schools to teach kids
  well
  
• Who mentors the mentees?
• Who implements, works and monitors school
  improvement?
  
• Who is the teacher and/or administrative
  instructional leader through new curriculum,
  needed instructional changes, and student
  progress indicators?
• Who is around to review, revise and refine for
  evidenced needs for improvement and continued
  successes?

8
The Georgia Plan

• Phase I Reach to Teach in Georgia (RTT)
• Phase II Georgia Teaching Force Program (GTFP)
• Phase III Continue to seek funding for Georgia
  Recruiting Effective Accomplished Teachers (GREAT)

9
Georgia Plan- Phase I

• Phase I 2002-2007, USDOE Transition to Teaching
  Grant award- Reach to Teach in Georgia provided
  assistance to 24 school systems statewide
  
• Recruitment
• Mentoring and Support
• Retention Incentives

10
Phase I- Eligibility Requirements

• 10,000 Students Below Poverty Line or 20 of
  Students Below Poverty Level
  
• 11 Teachers not Teaching in Academic Levels or
  Grade Trained to Teach
  
• 11 Teachers hold Emergency, Provisional or
  Temporary Certification or License

11
Phase I-Purpose

• Recruit and place new teachers in eligible LEAs
  through directed marketing and recruitment
  initiatives that target non- educator candidate
  pools
• Experienced professionals from fields outside of
  education who will enrich the education field and
  quality of learning in variety
  
• Recent non-education graduates from higher
  education
  
• Highly qualified paraprofessionals

12
Purpose contd

• Emphasize recruitment in critical content areas
  and fields
  
• Prepare targeted teachers through established
  and NOW Extended alternative preparation routes
  
• Implement continual support and retention
  strategies that will build the teaching capacity
  and staying power of targeted teacher recruits
  

13
Phase II Georgia Teaching Force

• USDOE Transition to Teaching grant project
  funded 2006-2011
  
• Twenty school systems statewide
• Utilize lessons learned from RTT
• Improve recruitment FOR retention strategies
• Integrate expanded virtual mentoring
  opportunities
  
• Develop cadre of building level mentors

14
Utilize Lessons Learned

• Georgias geography and high cost of
  transportation requires increased utilization of
  technology and virtual experiences
  
• Teacher selection strategies above and beyond
  those of hiring from available local workforce
  (that might have minimal knowledge/skill) are
  necessary to RETAIN teachers in high need
  schools
• Equity in access to teacher preparation programs
  for certification is required to develop a highly
  qualified workforce

15
Improve Recruitment FOR Retention Strategies

• Implement online self-assessment of candidates
  suitability for the profession
  
• Initiate virtual interviews for expansion of the
  pool
  
• Expand recruitment strategies to include
  increased access to certification programs
  
• Online GACE test preparation modules
• Low cost training up to two years prior to
  employment to prepare candidate for Test Based
  Supervised Practicum Option with One-Year
  Supervised Practicum
• Satellite Test Based Supervised Practicum Option
  with One-Year Supervised Practicum

16
Integrate Expanded Virtual Mentoring
Opportunities

• Initiate Selection and Training of Building
  Level Mentors
  
• Provide Advisors to Mentor Building Level
  Mentors
  
• Utilize LiveText to enhance building level
  mentors use of strategies developed by
  Advisors
  
• Expand resources for use with novice teachers
  through templates provided to the building
  level mentor

17
Develop Cadre of Building Level Mentors

• Each building level mentor will be provided a
  stipend of 500 per novice teacher assigned (up
  to three)
  
• Each building level mentor and novice teacher
  assigned will receive a subscription of LiveText
  
• Building level mentors will receive training in
  effective strategies for the mentoring teachers
  in high-need schools
  
• Each building level mentor will be assigned the
  services of an Advisor to provide strategies and
  resources as needed to supplement the training
  
• Each building principal will be trained in
  effective strategies for supporting novice

18
Training of Principals

• Train principals in strategies to support both
  the new teacher and the mentor
  
• Involve principals in the virtual activities and
  resources provided for new teachers and mentors
  
• Recognize successes in support of novice
  teachers
  
• Provide training in effective selection of
  teachers

19
Training for Participating LEAs

• Training on Georgia Performance Standards via
  online templates
  
• Field Trip for leaders to view performance
  based classrooms
  
• Training in effective interview and selections
  strategies
  
• Instruction in strategies for Balanced
  Assessment
  

20
Haberman Star Teacher Assessment

• Access to self-assessment through
  TeachGeorgia.org website
  
• Permission to share data with state allows
  enrollees to have their status shared with
  school systems
  
• Encourage school systems to grant priority status
  to those who post a high score
  
• Training of leadership to use Haberman Star
  Teacher Interview for selection of teachers

21
Virtual Interview Capacity in Development

• Equipment purchased
• Software purchased and contracts issued for
  development
  
• Training in Haberman Star Teacher Interview for
  use by virtual interviewers
  
• Software in development to archive interviews

22
Collaborate with Colleges and Universities to
Increase the Numbers of Graduates from Teacher
Preparation Programs

• Support Board of Regents (BOR) double-double
  plan to increase numbers of graduates from
  Colleges of Education
  
• Collaborate with BOR and Future Educators
  Association (FEA) to promote teaching as a
  profession in middle and high schools statewide
  
• Link from TeachGeorgia.org website to BOR Teacher
  Center and to the FEA website

23
Collaborate with Community Stakeholders

• Continue work of Human Resources Taskforce begun
  in 2005
  
• Work with Metro Chamber of Commerce to Provide
  Prototype
  
• Support work of Special Education National
  Taskforce begun in February, 2007 planning
  session, Savannah, Georgia
  
• Collaborate with IBM International, Inc.

24
Metro Atlanta Chambers Areas of Focus

• Teacher Recruitment and Retention
• High School Graduation
• Career Preparation
• Local Board Governance

25
What is the Business Communitys Role?

• Provide more than Chick-Fil-A on orientation
  day to schools (although this is also very
  welcomed!).
  
• Partner with community leaders, business leaders,
  policymakers to make a difference.
  
• The Metro Chamber works with the local school
  superintendents, systems human resources
  officers, State Superintendent, Governors Office
  and Education Policymakers to provide business
  perspective and support for education needs.
• Let schools know that you can provide more than
  monetary support. Have conversations and
  discussions about how business can intersect with
  the public schools to make a difference.
• The Metro Chamber works with the 15 school
  systems in the region.
  

26
Role of the Business Community continued -

• Offer a role for the school board
  chair/superintendent on the chambers board.
  
• Partner with education stakeholders to work on
  common goals.
  
• The Chamber routinely partners with nonprofits
  like
  
• - Ga. Partnership for Excellence in Education
• 2006 Teacher Quality Report (GPEE.org)
• - Communities in Schools and Dept. of
  Education
  
• High School Graduation Coaches
• Form an education committee comprised of business
  leaders and education stakeholders to develop
  work plans to address problems. Divide and
  conquer engage the volunteer members of the
  committee to take on a piece of the work plan.
  Then, work on initiatives to achieve these
  goals.
• The Metro Chamber has a 40-member Regional
  Education Policy Committee, comprised of business
  leaders, nonprofits, and public sector
  professionals, to establish annual goals to
  strengthen schools and improve student
  achievement.

27
IBM Targets Education Crisis
The United States is facing an education crisis
that affects businesses throughout our nation.
The country needs to add 2.4 million new teachers
by 2012 a number only slightly smaller than
the 2.8 million teachers working today.
There are a number of reasons for the crisis, in
cluding the fact that 42 of all K-12 teachers
today are over 50 and will soon be retiring.
One area of dire need is math and science teache
rs. The country needs 260,000 secondary math and
science teachers by 2009.
To help, IBM is launching an innovative new
program which will pilot in the U.S. in 2006,
entitled
Transition to Teaching
28
What Does Transition to Teaching Offer?

• Provides IBM employees the opportunity to explore
  a second career as a K-12 teacher
  
• Will provide financial assistance and other
  support to IBMers who decide they want to move
  into teaching as a second career
  
• Offers customized teaching certification
  programs, including both traditional and online
  courses, so that people with bachelors degrees
  or credentials in math, science and related
  fields can get the necessary education courses at
  no additional cost
• Provides assistance during the student teaching
  period, vital on-line mentoring, and peer
  networking so that employees can make a
  successful transition
• Participants will get up to 15,000 in grants and
  other financial support to defray the costs of
  schooling.

29
Why did IBM Create Transition to Teaching?

• IBM and other high tech companies are facing a
  severe shortage of qualified technical workers,
  and the trend will continue.
  
• Education is a part of IBMs DNA. IBM
  consistently plays an active role in promoting
  and boosting education efforts at both national
  and local levels.
• The Council on Competitiveness predicts there
  will be 6 million job openings for scientists,
  engineers, and technicians by 2008 and the Dept.
  of Labor predicts that jobs in the U.S. requiring
  science, engineering, and technical training will
  increase by 51 between 1998 and 2008... Four
  times the countrys overall job growth.
• The number of students taking advanced math and
  science classes and choosing engineering or
  technical careers is declining, yet the U.S.
  needs to grow its population of qualified IT
  workers in order to remain competitive.
• IBM hopes the Transition to Teaching program will
  inspire other companies to implement similar
  programs and has volunteered to lead the way!

30
How Does the Program Work?

• IBM employees with at least 10 years of IBM
  service who are rated as a solid contributor
  (or above) may apply. Generally, employees must
  hold a bachelors degree in math, science, or a
  related field. Management approval is required
  for acceptance.
• Participants must be accepted into an accredited
  school or department of education and will
  complete the education in their off-hours while
  continuing to work for IBM. Pilot participants
  must begin their studies in 2006.
• IBM will pay your regular salary while the
  candidate continues to work. Participants have
  up to three years to complete the program, with
  up to six additional months to secure teaching
  employment.
• Participants will work through graduation and
  state certification requirements, in advance of
  program start, with the accredited school of
  their choice.

31
The Georgia IBM Collaborative

• First cohort initiated in December of 2006
• Master teacher selected to facilitate the class
• First course offered online with 3 face-to-face
  sessions
  
• Final class session of first course meets all day
  in a school
  
• Remaining classes scheduled within 3 year period

32
National Taskforce for Special Education

• Provide services of Teachers Teachers
  recruitment agency to 20 school systems
  
• Involve 9 school systems in target public
  relations activities to involve community in the
  staffing of their schools
  
• Ongoing services to promote the teaching of
  special needs students as a career option

33
Seek Federal Funding to Implement an Aggressive
Recruitment Plan

• Submit Proposed Georgia Recruiting Effective
  Accomplished Teachers (GREAT)
  
• If funded, plan will
• Provide over 3 million dollars for implementation
  in 22 school systems
  
• Initiate aggressive recruitment strategies to
  include capacity for virtual interviews of
  potential teachers
  
• Introduce the Haberman Star online assessment for
  selection of candidates with disposition for
  teaching
  
• Fast-track the certification process through
  provision of online self-study materials to
  candidates still working in other professions
  
• Satellite the Test-Based Option with One-Year
  Supervised Practicum
  
• Provision of lesson plans with differentiated
  instruction for 190 days of the
  subject/developmental level selected to teach
  

34
Phase III

• Submit Grant Proposal for GREAT, March 26, 2007
• Anticipate Results
• Seek other funding sources (ongoing)
• Collect data on Phase I and Phase II
• Report results
• Disseminate results

35
Increase Options for Alternative Pathways to
Certification

• Provide low-cost online pre-employment
  preparation for teaching up to two years prior to
  candidate leaving job
  
• Make online test preparation available for GACE
  I, II, III
  
• Satellite Test-Based Option with One Year
  Supervised Practicum for eligible candidates
  
• Provide lesson plans for 190 days of
  differentiated instruction for content/development
  al level selected

36
Contact Information

• Dr. Cynthia E. Stephens, Director
• Cyndy.Stephens_at_gapsc.com
• Dr. Gail Sherer, NBCT, Project Manager
• Gail.Sherer_at_gapsc.com
• USDOE Transition to Teaching Grant Programs
• Educator Workforce Recruitment Research and
  Development Division
  
• Georgia Professional Standards Commission
• Two Peachtree Street, Suite 6000
• Atlanta, GA 30303