Presenters tell Alaska legislature teacher turnover near 30% as recruitment center expands job fairs and marketing
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Summary
The Alaska Educator Retention and Recruitment Center reported roughly 30% teacher turnover and 35% principal turnover, described 573 international teachers in the state and visa barriers (J‑1 limitations, expensive H‑1B fees), and outlined a suite of recruitment tools including virtual job fairs, a modernized job board and a university job fair.
Jennifer Schmitz, director of the Alaska Educator Retention and Recruitment Center (ARC), told the joint House and Senate education committees that Alaska is in a teacher and principal turnover crisis and ARC is scaling recruitment and retention efforts. "Teachers are at about a 30% turnover and principals in Alaska up to 35% turnover," Schmitz said, citing data the center compiled from 2013 to 2024.
Schmitz described first-day vacancies on opening day, a continuing need to supplement hiring with international teachers (she said ARC currently lists 573 international teachers, about 230 on J‑1 visas and the rest on H‑1B), and the practical challenges districts face when J‑1 sponsors will not permit placements in rural remote communities. She said a federal proclamation effectively added a roughly $100,000 price tag to some H‑1B placements, which she described as a near‑term barrier for rural hires.
To offset shortages, ARC has modernized a recruitment dashboard and job board, launched a marketing campaign to tell "the story of teaching in Alaska," and begun hosting virtual job fairs and a university-only job fair for Alaska college students. Schmitz said virtual fairs have attracted hundreds of applicants and ARC is coordinating with districts to support international hiring, visa processing and onboarding.
Lawmakers pressed Schmitz on timelines for visas and whether ARC positions could be posted on the state job board. Schmitz said she is working with the federal delegation (Senators Murkowski and Sullivan have written letters) and exploring alternative visa options with counsel, but said those changes are unlikely to bring teachers to Alaska by the first day of the next school year. She told the committee ARC has roughly 50 positions districts want filled immediately if visa barriers and funding permit.
Committee members asked about 'grow your own' programs and retention strategies. Schmitz pointed to high‑school programs and paraprofessional pathways and said part of ARC's work is to promote in‑state pipelines and to modernize supports for districts, including training for international teachers on classroom management.
