Memphis City Schools plans to hire teachers early : Local News : Memphis Commercial Appeal:
"For years, Memphis City Schools has filled the majority of its teacher vacancies a month before school starts, essentially forcing it to hire many applicants others didn't want."
More than half of MCS teacher applicants have GPAs of less than 3.0 and as a whole, score in the bottom quartile on the state teacher licensure test.
Beginning this spring, Supt. Kriner Cash intends to offer new teachers contracts by early April, putting the district in position to hire the strongest teachers before applicants are hired by other districts.
"We're scheduling briefing sessions with MEA (the teachers' union) reps," Cash told the board of education in September. "There has got to be a clarity about what we are doing. There can be no misunderstanding about this initiative."
While Cash has declined further comment, the district's proposal for $100 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation outlines particulars, including that it intends to pay $6,000 in retention bonuses to keep first-rate new teachers for at least four years.
"For years, Memphis City Schools has filled the majority of its teacher vacancies a month before school starts, essentially forcing it to hire many applicants others didn't want."
More than half of MCS teacher applicants have GPAs of less than 3.0 and as a whole, score in the bottom quartile on the state teacher licensure test.
Beginning this spring, Supt. Kriner Cash intends to offer new teachers contracts by early April, putting the district in position to hire the strongest teachers before applicants are hired by other districts.
"We're scheduling briefing sessions with MEA (the teachers' union) reps," Cash told the board of education in September. "There has got to be a clarity about what we are doing. There can be no misunderstanding about this initiative."
While Cash has declined further comment, the district's proposal for $100 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation outlines particulars, including that it intends to pay $6,000 in retention bonuses to keep first-rate new teachers for at least four years.