Finding the right person to fill a staffing gap may be one of the hardest parts of being an administrator, but there are plenty of experts out there who can make the process easier.

Joel Sackett, consultant, offered administrators five tips to ease the difficulties in the hiring process in a recent article on DistrictAdministration.com.

"It’s no secret that having great educators in the classroom is one of the keys to fostering successful students and an effective school—but finding top-tier educators can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive," Sackett said. "The hiring process is especially challenging in today’s landscape, as most states have made dramatic cuts to education funding since the start of the recession."

Identifying what skills the educator should have is one of the first steps in the hiring process. That step requires administrators to look closely at their school's population.

Sackett says that administrators should choose technology solutions wisely. 

Many schools fear teacher hiring technology due to the massive hype surrounding solutions that claim to be a silver bullet. But tools that are purpose-built to improve and augment existing practices can be a tremendous asset during the hiring process. Cloud-based tools can save schools money, for example, while tools using predictive algorithms can also help make the process more efficient. Of course, not all teacher screening tools are created equal, so it is important to do your research.

Another tip Sackett gives is to never "lose sight of the end goal: which is improving student achievement."

"The right teachers are fundamental to student achievement—but don’t let the need to make a speedy hire sacrifice educator quality," he said. "Use these tips to expedite and optimize your current hiring process and become a leader in your district."

Read the full story. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor