RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES AND TEACHER RETENTION IN GREATER KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Abstract

This research is a heuristic project developed toascertain strategies most frequently used to recruit andretain teachers in Greater Kansas City metropolitan areaschool districts, including districts with urban and nonurban populations. The study’s purpose entailed: (a)determining the different teacher recruitment strategiesused to attract highly qualified teachers to metropolitanarea school districts; (b) determining those recruitmentstrategies generating the highest number of highlyqualified teachers for metropolitan area school districts;(c) determining those recruitment strategies resulting inthe highest number of highly qualified, first year teachershired by metropolitan area school districts; and (d)identifying those recruitment strategies that GreaterKansas City metropolitan area administrators perceived asinfluencing teacher retention in urban and non-urbandistricts. Data tabulations indicated the following: (1) internetmarketing, recruitment fairs, local/national mediapublications and alternative certification programs werefrequently implemented by sample participants representing metropolitan area school districts; (2) internet marketing,local/national media publications and alternativecertification programs generated the highest number ofqualified teachers in metropolitan area school districts;(3) recruitment fairs, internet marketing andlocal/national media publications generated the highestnumber of first year, highly qualified teachers formetropolitan area school districts; and (4) recruitmentfairs and alternative certification programs were perceivedby Greater Kansas City Metropolitan area administrators tohave influence on teacher retention.