RPS reports steady hiring progress, new ‘seed’ pathways and international recruits to reduce vacancies

Richmond Public Schools reported continued progress on teacher recruitment and described several in‑house “grow‑your‑own” initiatives intended to reduce long‑term vacancies next school year.

Director of Talent Acquisition Monica Haskins told the board the district is actively recruiting to fill 105 classroom teacher vacancies out of roughly 1,305 positions (an approximate 8% vacancy rate), down from higher rates recorded in previous years. She credited a coordinated set of hiring strategies — frequent RPS job fairs, licensure events, targeted school recruitment, digital outreach and early-commitment hiring bonuses — for the improvement.

Haskins said the district has already issued offers for many next-year positions and reported 125 hires already accepted for FY2026. The administration also highlighted international recruitment: the district has hired 20 J‑1 visa teachers (19 remain active) and has four additional hires pending for next year. The J‑1 teachers may serve up to three years with an extension option, staff said.

Teacher-leader pathways remain central to the staffing plan. Rodney Robinson described five “seed” tracks that feed teachers into RPS: RTR (recruit-to-role), the largest teacher track (roughly 85 participants, about 50 already licensed and working), a University of Richmond licensure cohort, a career-switcher pathway, and a new associate‑teacher program starting this fall. The associate‑teacher route is notable because district staff said it is funded by the local budget and will place people with associate degrees into roles where they can earn a bachelor’s degree while serving as substitutes; the program had an initial waiting list of nearly 30 people.

Staff told the board that the long-term plan is to convert several externally funded training routes into an RPS-run licensure program subject to state approval; that move is intended to reduce recurring program costs. Administration said it will file an application with the Virginia Department of Education for an internal licensure program for the 2026–27 school year and expected it to save roughly $150,000 annually if approved.

Board members raised specific questions about licensure processing, contract timing and how long-term substitutes are counted in vacancy totals. Administration clarified: a teacher holding only a provisional license is treated as a full-time teacher for assignment purposes; long-term substitutes are counted as vacancies for replenishment and hiring purposes. Staff acknowledged that licensure communications had been a pain point for some applicants and invited board members to route constituent cases to the talent office for rapid follow-up.

Administrators said recruitment will remain a top priority and emphasized partnerships with local universities, on-the-ground recruitment events and digital outreach to find candidates before other jurisdictions do.