Repairing the Leak

The Institute surveyed hundreds of hiring managers across the country, from school districts of all sizes and in all settings, to explore their perceptions of the teacher pipeline and the strategies they use to hire new educators. Our discoveries are published in the new report, Repairing the Leak: How “Cultural Fit” Rusts the Teacher Pipeline.

Quality education must be delivered to all students – no matter where they are born or where they live. Through Issue 4 of The Line, I hope you are challenged by listening to diverse voices, convicted by lingering opportunity gaps and inspired by educators and education leaders everywhere who are not giving up.

On October 30, 2018, a group of education and community leaders gathered at Prairie Knights Casino on Standing Rock Reservation, an hour south of Bismarck, North Dakota. One of the most rural states in the union, North Dakota has a population of just 750,000 and a strong and vibrant Native American culture – a perfect backdrop to focus on rural education and equity for all students.

In an unprecedented maneuver, ESSA brought data to the forefront of its equity-focused mission. Specific reporting rules require education agencies at every level to collect and use more data ― data that will likely expose education inequities in funding as well as access to rigorous curriculum and effective teachers. ESSA outlines clear requirements targeting statewide accountability systems that address progress gaps for groups of low-performing students.

The 3rd annual report from the Frontline Research & Learning Institute is now available, featuring insights around employee absences, substitute placement and hiring data in K-12 over the past three years. In addition, it’s the Institute’s first annual report to delve into data around employee absences by district locale and size.