PGCPS reports large drop in special-education vacancies, lays out year-round hiring and retention plans

Prince George's County Public Schools reported substantial reductions in special-education staffing gaps and outlined steps to make gains durable at a Disability Issues Advisory Board meeting on April 21.

Dr. Dana Edwards, chief human resource officer and director of talent acquisition and management for Prince George's County Public Schools, told the advisory board the district entered corrective action with the Maryland State Department of Education over special-education vacancies and set targets to reduce openings. “We were supposed to reduce our vacancies by 10%. We far exceeded that initial KPI — we met that target by 68%,” Edwards said, adding that the figure is based on data as of March 2026. She said support-staff vacancies dropped by 47% and vacancies for speech-language pathologists fell by about 50%.

The district attributed the reductions to a number of operational changes, Edwards said: continuing to hire through the spring rather than pausing in January, offering advanced contracts and salary information to candidates earlier, designating a recruiter focused on special-education roles, and stepping up outreach and principal engagement so new hires are matched more quickly to school needs. Edwards said 36 special-education teachers had already signed advanced contracts to work for PGCPS next year.

“This year we kept hiring through May,” Edwards said. “When we bring a teacher in, we put them in the classroom — it creates an opportunity for students to have someone who has made the…