As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.
16 Jan 2001
DISD Hopes To Attract Yesterday’s Teachers To Return To the Classroom Today
The Human Resource Services Department of the Dallas Independent School District has launched several innovative initiatives to combat the teacher shortage facing America’s public schools. From recruiting retired educators to return to the classroom to developing a recruitment team of teachers and principals, the staffing department is becoming more creative in meeting the challenge of the teacher shortage in the Dallas Independent School District.
The initiative to recruit retired teachers is called Project Comeback. The district has invited retirees who are certified in critical areas to attend a continental breakfast from 9 a.m. -11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Classroom Teachers of Dallas Building, 3816 San Jacinto. (MapscoŽ key 45H)
The district values the experience of the retired teachers, and many of them are volunteers presently in the Dallas Independent School District, said Diane Miles, DISD executive director–Human Resources Professional and Support Staffing. "If we can get some retired teachers to return to the classroom either full time, part time or to job share, the district benefits. To have these experienced teachers "comeback" and work with us will be a plus. This is another valuable resource of persons who can assist DISD as it meets the challenge of a teacher shortage."
In addition to Project Comeback, several teachers and principals were selected and trained to join a newly-created recruitment team. Other members of the recruitment team included retirees, curriculum personnel and PTA representatives. The team will recruit at jobs fairs including the ones held locally and at universities in neighboring states of Texas.
Because teachers and principals are working in the Dallas Independent School District, they are natural candidates for the recruitment team, Miles said.
"Our teachers and principals are some of the best spokespersons to talk about the great things the district is doing for students," she said. "Having them as members of the recruiting team is important because they can tell the DISD’s story from their firsthand experience."
With 180 teaching vacancies, there are six job fairs scheduled for spring 2001. The first of those job fairs will be from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at A. Maceo Smith High School, 3030 Stag Road. (MapscoŽ key 66F)