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Hiring and Retention Policies

A large teacher quality gap exists across schools in many districts, resulting in a situation where students of color and economically disadvantaged students are systemically provided less access to high-quality teachers than their peers. If the district does not develop a plan for human resource needs, it is unlikely that the schools will succeed. Districts must adopt approaches to teacher hiring and assignment that close the teacher quality gap. But to secure an effective teacher for every child, districts must do more than hire a qualified teacher. Districts need to select the right teacher for the content and make appropriate classroom assignments to ensure the quality and alignment of the best possible staff member for students. In addition, good working conditions, salaries, and opportunities for professional growth are needed if the benefits of a strong educator workforce and low attrition are to be realized.