Delaware Makes Improvements in Educator Staffing

Delaware is seeing improvements in educator shortages thanks to targeted efforts and innovative practices to better recruit and retain school employees.

The just-released 2024 Delaware Excellent Educator Hiring Practices Survey shows a 52 percent decrease in open district positions (instructional and non-instructional) compared to a year ago.

Overall, 259 district staff positions remained unfilled at the end of the most recent hiring season. These unfilled positions represent about 2.5 percent of the total educator workforce, which includes 10,178 instructional and non-instructional staff members. (Note: Due to incomplete charter school data, the 2024 survey reports only on Delaware's 19 school districts.)

"Making sure we have talented and experienced educators in our schools is critical for student learning," Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said. "While educator shortages were a concern before the pandemic, COVID-19 exasperated the challenge. I am proud of how my team has supported this work and how district leaders have embraced new practices and strategies to fill these critical positions. While our work is not complete, Delaware is leading the nation in these efforts."

A U.S. Department of Education report last year showed Delaware growing the educator workforce more than any other state in the country.

The Delaware Excellent Educator Hiring Practices Survey includes data and responses from district human resource offices across the state. The top five talent pools most frequently recruited by district/charter HR leads are: (1) alternative route to certification (ARTC) programs, with nearly all districts actively recruiting from the University of Delaware (95 percent) and Wilmington University (89 percent); (2) student teachers already teaching in the district (79 percent); (3) Wilmington University graduates (79 percent); (4) year-long teacher residency programs (74 percent); and (5) Delaware State University graduates (63 percent).

According to the survey, 189 instructional positions remain open - this is a 47 percent decrease from the previous hiring season. High school mathematics, secondary special education and autism teacher certification areas were among the hardest to staff this past hiring season. Also 70 non-instructional positions remain open - this is a 61 percent decrease from the previous hiring season. Psychologists, occupational therapists and speech therapists were among the hardest to staff this past hiring season.

The survey also looks at school leader positions, showing better retention with districts having offered contracts to 69 new school leaders this past hiring season - a 19 percent decrease from previous hiring season with 89 percent of districts reporting they frequently recruit leaders from teachers and administrators in their district. A majority of districts also reported frequently recruiting from Wilmington University (68 percent) and other districts in the state (63 percent).

Delaware's successful efforts include yearlong teacher residencies, registered apprenticeships for teachers, and Grow Your Own grants to fund preparation programs. The report also outlines a need to continue to invest in the reimbursement programs for tuition payments that support educators who currently hold an emergency certificate or a certificate of eligibility in high-need areas, covering coursework completed when they pursued their certification: "These efforts have demonstrated their impact in increasing recruitment and improving hiring outcomes, addressing critical shortages in high-need fields."

Enhancing entry pathways has been another important state strategy. Delaware has addressed barriers to entering the teaching profession by investing in apprenticeship programs, paraprofessional to teacher pathways, and partnerships that strengthen the pipeline from high school to educator preparation programs. These strategies will continue to broaden access to teaching careers, particularly in underserved communities.

Such efforts have been critical in Sussex County's largest school district.

"The Indian River School District has placed a strong emphasis on teacher recruitment and retention in recent years. We have found the yearlong teacher residency program to be an especially valuable asset, and we are employing 14 yearlong residents during the current school year," Superintendent Jay Owens said. "Most importantly, numerous yearlong residents from previous years have since been hired to full-time positions in our schools. We are also fully committed to the ARTC program and assist candidates in obtaining the licensing and certification necessary to become teachers. Indian River also offers a new teacher mentoring program and a 'para-to-teacher' program that provides guidance and support to paraeducators who are working to obtain their bachelor's degree in education."

Dedicating a staff member to this work also has been important.

"We have found our talent acquisition and certification specialist to be a valuable resource during a time when the talent pool in education is dwindling," Owens said. "Not only does the specialist attend teacher recruitment fairs, but she has also put numerous supports in place to assist new teachers during their first few years on the job. These efforts have proved invaluable in retaining teachers and making sure their experience in the classroom is a positive one."

The report also looks at next steps, including the need to strengthen partnerships to diversify and deepen the educator pipeline and focus on retention.

"Retaining current educators remains critical to maintaining a sustainable workforce. Ensure high-quality induction and mentoring programs, provide professional development aligned with educator growth goals, and explore policies that improve working conditions and incentivize long-term retention," the report recommends.

The final call to action is to strengthen data-informed decisions with a longitudinal system: "Develop and implement a comprehensive longitudinal data system to track educator candidates from high school through preparation programs and into their teaching careers. This system will provide critical insights into recruitment strategies, preparation programs, and workforce retention efforts. By identifying trends in candidate progression, certification areas, and career pathways, the system will allow Delaware policymakers, districts and charters can make informed decisions to address gaps, improve program quality, and strategically align investments with workforce needs. These recommendations build on Delaware's existing momentum and provide a framework for scaling successful strategies while addressing remaining challenges in educator workforce development."

The progress outlined in the survey is evident in schools across the state. Woodbridge began this academic year fully staffed with leaders crediting current staff and administrators in the district as their best recruiters.

"Almost all of our new hires this past year have been connected to a current staff member in some way. We know that being fully staffed isn't just about having positions filled but also ensuring that the right people are in the right positions to ensure a healthy, efficient work environment which increases productivity. We believe that when staff enjoy their jobs and feel supported with manageable workloads, they are more likely to thrive and contribute positively to our school district in many ways including recruiting other educators," Assistant Superintendent Kelley Kirkland said. "We take great pride in knowing that Woodbridge is a great place to work, which is why we are currently working to expand our partnerships with colleges and universities for our Grow Your Own program and to also host students in educational programs, allowing them to work alongside our staff and experience our workplace culture firsthand."

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