TEACHER RECRUITMENT/RETENTION/EMPLOYMENT

Recruitment and employment of trained applicants shall be active, selective, competitive, and based on the concept of preferential hiring. The process of preferential hiring requires: (1) the establishment of a pool of qualified applicants who most closely match the Department of Education’s “Profile of an Effective Teacher”; (2) selection from the applicant pool; and (3) consideration of students’ education and welfare and the good of the public school system. This process calls for looking beyond certification/licensure qualifications of applicants. It requires rigorous efforts to hire the best qualified candidates to consistently achieve ever higher levels of student growth and development within the public schools of Hawaii. A multivariate screening system shall be applied to determine employment entry/admission into the applicant pool of eligible candidates for teacher positions.

The Department of Education (Department) shall develop and implement a strategic plan to recruit and retain qualified teachers. The strategic plan shall: (1) identify recruitment and retention goals; (2) implement strategies to achieve the goals; (3) identify specific teaching shortage areas and geographically hard-to-fill areas; and (4) establish a continuing community outreach program to encourage and assist residents of communities experiencing high teacher turnover to become teachers.

The Superintendent of Education employs teachers. Primary considerations for employment shall be the needs of students and programs at schools. Hiring shall be based on the selection of eligible professionals who most exemplify the Department’s “Profile of an Effective Teacher.”

TEACHER PLACEMENT

Placement of teachers shall be by matching the qualifications, personal attributes, and training of the individual with the requirements of the position. An effective match of the qualifications of the individual with the requirements of the position ensures attainment of the Department’s mission.

EDUCATIONAL OFFICER APPOINTMENT

Educational officers are appointed by the Superintendent of Education. Educational officers shall possess traits, such as leadership, adaptability, motivation, and commitment to meet the requirements of the position and the high expectations as delineated in the Department’s “Profile of an Effective School Administrator” and “Profile of an Effective Educational Administrator.”

Professional background and experiences of applicants shall be considered in the selection and appointment of educational officers.

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for the approval of appointments.

PROBATION AND TENURE

Employees are required to complete Department-established probationary requirements. Service as a temporary educational officer is not applicable towards fulfilling the requirements of the probationary period.

Tenure in the Department is obtained by continued employment based on successful completion of probationary requirements and demonstrated competency at progressively higher levels of performance.

Upon being hired, teachers shall serve no less than six (6) semesters of probation and no more than ten (10).  Probationary teachers shall be evaluated each year through the same process and using the same instruments and measures as tenured teachers. 

All probationary teachers shall participate in the Department’s mentoring program, as guided by the Hawaii Teacher Induction Program Standards.

If the Unit 5 collective bargaining agreement provides for fewer than six (6) semesters of probation, the Department shall extend the probationary period of any teacher who receives an overall evaluation rating of less than “effective” in the second year of the probationary period.

The Department shall develop a process whereby upon completing probation and being offered regular employment with the Department, teachers shall receive a one-time financial recognition of this professional status, which shall not be added to the base salary for any purpose.

New teachers who have not completed a State Approved Teacher Education Program (SATEP) and are hired at the Instructor level shall not be eligible to receive probationary credit until they have received a degree from a SATEP and are properly licensed.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

The recruitment and employment policy shall be implemented throughout the Department of Education and shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent of Education and all State, district, and school personnel. The manner in which this policy is to be implemented shall be the essence of the Department of Education’s Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Program.

Revised: 09/70; Amended: 10/74; 08/75; 06/86; 03/98; 09/15/05; 04/17/12