By Sharon Kebschull Barrett; first published in School Administrator magazine, August 1, 2015
You know rock star teachers when you see them. They are capable of commanding attention day in and day out, and they motivate students to achieve well beyond standard expectations. They even help other teachers succeed.
So how can school districts attract them, especially to hard-to-staff schools and subjects?
Four districts that implemented the Opportunity Culture model — Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County, N.C., Syracuse, N.Y., and Nashville, Tenn. — have found a way to keep great teachers in the classroom and reach more students, offering leadership opportunities, on-the-job training and higher pay. Schools reallocate their own budgets using new staffing models that fund pay supplements permanently, rather than with temporary grants, increasing the attractiveness of the roles.