High school teachers work with students who are readying for independence. Teens can delve deeper into subjects and examine questions critically and logically. It’s an exciting age to teach. If you’ve considered teaching high school in North Carolina, there’s never been a better time. The teaching shortage has left the state desperate for qualified educators.  The average high school teacher salary in North Carolina as of May 2022 was $51,570. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and t ..read more

There’s a lot of important information packed into your online teacher training. Make sure you’re getting the most out of it by practicing these 6 tips for online studying: __________________________________________________________________________ As you study, it is important to set goals, small and big. Setting goals will help you check in with yourself and stay grounded. Accomplishing a goal is an amazing feeling – reward yourself for a job well done by acknowledging your accomplishments! The “big” goal is the main objective. Ask yourself, “why am I here?” You are here because you are work ..read more

Texas Teachers’ Program Glossary You’ve likely discovered the world of teaching is comprised of countless acronyms and we know that we’ve thrown a whole lot of Texas Teachers Program terminology your way! Once you learn one, you encounter three more. If you’ve found yourself wondering what something means, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled the definitive list of our program acronyms, abbreviations, and terms and have defined them for you – all in one place! We will continue to update this page, so be sure to bookmark it and use it as your Texas Teachers Program Glossary. Acronyms & Abb ..read more

We’ve tracked the latest district hiring trends to pass along to you! Our latest findings show that becoming certified as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher improves your chances of getting hired faster! It is becoming increasingly more common for schools to request or require teachers to have an ESL certification. Among Texas districts, it is customary to require teachers pursuing Early Childhood Education and English Language Arts to pair their Texas ESL certification. What is ESL Certification?  Texas ESL certification focuses on the acronym ESL, which means English as a Sec ..read more

A Resume Is the Gateway to Getting Hired After all your hard work and time invested in becoming a teacher, you’re ready to take the next step and get hired! The time to flaunt your skills in a well-crafted resume to get you to the top of the hiring list is now. Resume writing can be a daunting task, but don’t let the intimidation stop you from achieving your goals. A resume is one of the main bridges between you, the hiring managers, and your dream job. It’s a really powerful document! To help you create the ultimate resume, we met with HR professionals to learn what they look for while review ..read more

TEACHER RETENTION – WHEN THE “WHY” IS NOT ENOUGH The deepening teacher shortage pushes most districts into a reactive mode – scurrying to recruit replacements for high-need areas. This is urgent work, but – like most reactive tasks – only part of the picture. The other portion is retention, and it is just as important to the health of our schools as recruitment.  Schools with higher retention rates have fewer reported shortages. While this sounds like stating the obvious, taking a deeper dive reveals how much of a boost a higher retention rate really provides.  A stable teaching ..read more

The demand for qualified individuals with wage-earning experience to teach our students valuable career-developing skills continues to grow! In 2017, the Texas state legislature passed a bill allowing those who have graduated high school to earn an industry-based teaching certification through a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. CTE teachers work with students to teach integral life skills as they prepare to enter the workforce. Such technical knowledge is a key component to helping set students up for success. To achieve this goal, Texas Teachers provide scrupulous training that ..read more

Widening the Net  Experience as a campus principal made me a fervent believer that there were no good hires to be had in July.  In those days the local July job fair felt like an open casting call for a new zombie movie. I had no desire to take a chance on the woman whose spearmint gum failed to entirely mask the smell of alcohol or the man in desperate need of a pedicure wearing open-toed sandals.  This was the turn of the millennium before alternative certification opened the door to thousands of more applicants and changed teacher recruitment.  If I had a vacancy in late ..read more

Are you ready to #BeatTheChange?! As we approach a new year, Texas Teachers wants to ensure nothing derails your dream of becoming a teacher! Last year in 2021, an array of COVID-19 allowances were introduced to make the admission process faster, simpler and 100% online. In accordance with state guidelines, these COVID-19 admission allowances are being revoked as of January 1, 2022. If you begin the process in 2022, here are a few critical changes that you may be headed your way: 1. Higher GPA for Program Acceptance 2. Passing Exam Scores Prior to Admission* 3. In-Person Classroom Observation ..read more

  RETHINKING RECRUITMENT It is no news to any of you that the nationwide teacher shortage is impacting Texas in a big way. In an April survey of over 1100 educational leaders across the country, two-thirds reported not finding enough qualified applicants to fill vacancies (Buttner, 2021). The retirement of the last of the Baby Boomers, COVID-19 fears, and a 27% decrease in the number of newly certified teachers since 2014 have combined to create far more than normal vacancies. What’s a principal or human resources expert to do? The ability to pivot – changing strategy without altering vi ..read more