Staffing a School

The most important controllable factor leading to increased student achievement is the quality of the teaching staff. This is not to say that the support staff members (instructional aides, cooks, custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, technology directors, etc.) are not vital to the proper functioning of the school or that the administration doesn't play a vital role in the overall success of the school operation, but research has proven time and again that teacher quality is paramount in improving achievement.

So how does the administration (Principal and Superintendent, in our case) staff the school with high quality teachers?

Certainly the recruitment and selection process for new teachers is one way. Unfortunately this has become more and more difficult during the past fifteen years. As more opportunities have opened up for women and minorities, as teacher pay has not kept pace with other professions and as the respect teachers once had has withered under intense political criticism, the pool of high quality candidates has shrunk. We are fortunate in Genesee to be within a 25 mile radius of three colleges or universities which enhances our pool of available teachers, but even this factor will not guarantee our ability to hire the top of the class. In the mid-1990's we averaged 150 applications for every elementary position advertised. Now we are lucky to receive twenty. For some hard to fill positions, we might get two or three applications. Hiring the best and brightest will continue to pose a challenge for the district as the "baby boomers" retire from the profession.

Retention of the teaching staff is another important factor in putting a quality teacher at the head of each classroom. Once we hire a quality teacher, we need to retain his or her services for as long as possible. Providing professional development opportunities here or at professional training and conferences out of the District is one way to not only retain quality staff members; it also directly benefits students. Teachers need adequate time to plan individually and with their colleagues in order to provide quality service to students and for professional satisfaction. Giving teachers the opportunity to impact the educational process can enhance job satisfaction.

The mechanics of determining the number of teachers needed to carry out the educational program is a function of many factors including curriculum, class size, training and qualifications, and finance. When do we split an elementary class? While it might be intuitive that a smaller class size would improve student achievement, the research does not bear this out. Certainly there are limits and guidelines; factors which the administration and Board take into account. In most cases, the teacher/student ratio in all classes in Genesee is smaller than it would be in districts like Moscow or Lewiston. Idaho pays for 1.1 certified professional staff member per support unit. A support unit is 19 students at the elementary level and 12 students at the secondary level (based on attendance, not enrollment). This provides for classroom teachers, ancillary staff, counselors, specialists, librarians, etc. Genesee has chosen to hire additional staff which has been supported through the supplemental levy election.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires districts to employ Highly Qualified Teachers in all core subject areas. This poses an interesting challenge because Idaho's licensing requirements and NCLB regulations differ. I am happy to report that all of our teachers meet or exceed both the state and federal regulations for the classes they are assigned to teach.

We have a significant number of Nationally Board Certified teachers and several more working on this designation this year. National Board Certification is a highly structured, time consuming process that benefits both the professional educator and the students he or she teaches. The District supports teachers who choose to work on this level of certification.

We will continue to staff our classrooms with the highest quality individuals we can. We will continue to supervise and evaluate our staff to help them become the best they can be for the benefit of the students we serve. If ever you have a specific concern or question regarding your child's education, please contact the teacher directly. If you continue to have concerns, contact the Principal.