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New HR chief outlines recruitment, tuition and certification plans to boost teacher staffing
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Long Lang presented a five‑tenet recruitment and retention strategy that includes an applicant tracking system switch, expanded college partnerships, tuition reimbursement and study‑tool support for licensure testing.
The district’s new assistant superintendent for human resources, Dr. Long Lang, told the school board March 19 that the division is taking a multi‑pronged approach to recruitment and retention as it prepares for the 2025–26 hiring cycle.
Dr. Long Lang described five tenets guiding the work: data analysis (position control and certification tracking), “sharing our story” at broader recruitment events, optimizing resources (including applicant‑tracking and onboarding improvements), “grow‑our‑own” partnerships with colleges and tuition support, and enhancing the employee experience with improved onboarding and responsiveness.
“Moving from paper to electronic forms via DocuSign increases accountability,” Dr. Long Lang said, adding that the division plans to transition from Keystone to Frontline (an applicant‑tracking system) within about 60 days. The new system will allow candidates to apply once and be considered for multiple positions and will provide automated status updates so applicants know where they stand in the pipeline.
Dr. Long Lang also described partnerships with Virginia State University (the transcript corrects an earlier slide reference), Brightpoint Community College, James Madison University and out‑of‑state recruitment stops, including a Pittsburgh education consortium career fair and events in North Carolina. The presentation said the district plans to explore “grow‑our‑own” pathways, tuition reimbursement, bonuses for certified teachers and expanded access to test‑prep resources such as Study.com.
Board members urged broader recruitment at teacher conferences and STEM events to find licensed candidates and asked for regular reporting on yield from each recruiting stop. Several board members also advocated for salary and compensation structures that differentiate provisional, licensed and master‑level credentials. Superintendent Brown said the city has asked staff for a proposal that would set a $60,000 starting salary for new teachers, and staff are developing cost estimates to bring to city council for consideration.
What’s next: Human resources will return with more detailed metrics and quarterly updates and will provide the board with staffing sheets that map positions to state reporting categories.
