In Maine, state employees are pitching summer-camp counselors on the benefits of being a teacher. In Texas, school districts are buying billboards in other states to lure educators across the border. In Florida, military veterans with no prior teaching experience will soon be allowed to lead classrooms. In New Jersey, dozens of districts will pipe virtual teachers into classrooms.
Nationwide, school districts are dealing with what many administrators are calling the toughest teacher recruiting season they have ever experienced. Schools are racing to fill classroom openings with qualified educators as the school year begins, with many holding out hope that they won’t have to resort to long-term substitutes, cutting classes or increasing class sizes.
