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Cartwright board hears recruitment plan as district reports 51 certified vacancies, 74 hires in process
Summary
District administrators told the Cartwright Elementary District board that 51 certified teacher positions remain open and the district has hired or is processing 74 certified teachers since April 22; the presentation outlined partnerships, referral bonuses and targeted stipends to fill hard-to-staff roles.
Cartwright Elementary District administrators on May 21 updated the governing board on teacher recruitment, saying the district currently lists 51 certified teacher vacancies and has hired or is processing 74 certified teachers since April 22.
"We currently have 51 certified teacher vacancies," said Dr. Edrich, the district presenter, who supplied a grade-band breakdown and described recruitment tactics. He said vacancies include nine in kindergarten–third grade, 11 in grades 4–6, seven in grades 7–8, about 13 specials positions and roughly 11 special education seats (including preschool).
The presentation emphasized partnerships with local community colleges and university educator-preparation programs, outreach via social media with QR-code application links, and relationships with alternative certification providers such as Teachers of Tomorrow and the International Alliance Group.
Administrators described incentives under consideration and planned for a future board approval: referral bonuses for staff who recruit certified teachers who complete a contract year, targeted sign-on stipends for hard-to-fill roles (for example, middle-school math and science), and a review of policy for initial salary placement to consider awarding additional years-of-credit for experienced candidates.
"We have ramped up our efforts, and that has been paying off to fill some of our classrooms," Dr. Edrich said. He added that the district currently employs roughly 650 teachers, and that the hires in process represent about 11% of that workforce.
Board members pressed for contingency plans if vacancies remain at the start of the school year. "What is the plan B?" asked Board Member Cantu. Dr. Edrich said the district is in talks with substitute staffing firms (ESI, Swing) to place long-term substitutes to provide classroom consistency until permanent hires can be secured.
Board member Denise Garcia asked whether the district knows what neighboring charters are doing to recruit and retain math and science teachers; members also discussed statewide funding pressures and how benefits and local stipends can affect retention.
The presentation was informational; administrators said specific incentive programs and any salary-schedule changes will be brought back to the board for formal consideration and approval at a future meeting.
