PROVIDENCE – Brown University’s Annenberg Institute Center for the Study of Educators released a new policy brief that points out key challenges faced by the Providence Public School District in expanding its teacher applicant pool and recruiting educators of color.
Brown said the brief is the second of a series about staffing schools in the city, which are currently under state control, as part of a partnership with the R.I. Department of Education, Brown and the school district. The previous brief, Brown said, noted that the district made strides in filling vacancies before the start of the school year and improved in diversifying the workforce.
According to the brief, five key findings were noted by the institute. The district’s applicant pool is small compared to peer districts and relatively local, with most of the candidates coming from Rhode Island. Recruitment challenges in bringing in English-language teachers, as well as math and science teachers, has been “particularly acute,” the brief states.
The brief also notes that the district this year attracted more external candidates and more out-of-state teacher candidates in the past year, however racial and ethnic diversity “remains low” among job applicants and the growth rate in new hires of color is “not sufficient to meet PPSD’s goals.”
The brief also notes opportunities to improve the situation. The institute suggests that the district revitalize a recruitment and media campaign that includes state and district efforts, including outreach from principals and teachers.
The district should also continuously post jobs early and extend posting windows beyond seven days, the brief notes, and the applicant pool should be expanded.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
