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Wanted in Hillsborough: The best teachers for kids who need them most

 
Hillsborough County public school teachers interviewed last Monday to work at high-poverty schools. Sixty were placed in new jobs, the superintendent said.
Hillsborough County public school teachers interviewed last Monday to work at high-poverty schools. Sixty were placed in new jobs, the superintendent said.
Published April 14, 2017

TAMPA – Darcel Codrington and Richard Grayes never stopped smiling as they faced each other Monday across an interview table.

Codrington, who teaches second grade at suburban Symmes Elementary, was ready for a challenge now that her own children have moved on to middle school.

Grayes, the principal of Clair Mel Elementary, wanted to know if she could handle the stress at a school where the poverty rate is nearly twice as high.

Codrington assured him she could. "All children are children, wherever we are," she said.

Throughout the East Tampa training center, Hillsborough County public school teachers moved through a process that looked like speed dating, but was all about getting seasoned educators in front of children who demand the most from public schools.

More than 200 attended the interview fair. Sixty were hired as a result, according to Superintendent Jeff Eakins.

Teachers hired at the Monday event would be in the classrooms at their new schools for the 2017-18 school year.

"This is my vision, coming to fruition," said Chief of Schools Harrison Peters, who has been working with senior staff on ways to spread high-qualified teachers evenly around the large district. "Principals appreciate this and it's catching on."

Turnout was high for a number of reasons, organizers said.

The district is rolling out programs that work with area universities and, in some cases, offer tuition help to teachers earning masters degrees.

The masters candidates specialize in "turnaround leadership," the business of running a school that is struggling. As part of the deal, they teach in the turnaround schools while they are completing their studies.

But more than the professional opportunities and monetary inducements, the district also is making an effort to praise educators publicly when they give up a lower needs work setting for one with higher needs.

At the most recent School Board meeting, superintendent Jeff Eakins singled out four such principals: Cindy Guy of Gibsonton Elementary, April Gillyard of Memorial Middle, Carol Brown of Robles Elementary and Jake Russell of Chamberlain High.

Russell's reasons for leaving Sickles High in Citrus Park were similar to Codrington's: His daughter is now in college, which gives him more freedom. "I wanted a challenge," he said.

In taking these steps, district leaders hope to combat a disparity in teacher quality that exists not just in Hillsborough, but in most large districts.

An analysis by the Tampa Bay Times, based on payroll records, showed classroom teachers at predominantly black and low-income schools earn between $6,000 and $8,000 less per year than those at mostly white schools in higher-income neighborhoods. Those pay differences equate to roughly three to five years of experience.

In addition to recruitment efforts, the district has a new system of allocating coaches and specialists to schools based on a formula that considers behavior, attendance, how often students move and scores they earn on the Florida Standard Assessments.

Principals manned their stations at Monday's interview fair, some with story boards featuring pictures of their schools, some with bowls of candy.

Codrington said she got two offers, and agreed to work at Palm River Elementary.

Other principals were more cautious, asking the candidates to tour their campuses first.

Interest was high at Potter Elementary, the subject of a recent Times report about teacher turnover at high-poverty schools, where seven were hired; and at McLane Middle, which buses in many students and has struggled with staffing over the year.

"We're doing some hiring," said Troy Vasaturo, McLane's assistant principal, who signed three new teachers.

"We're seeing people who are happy with the opportunity to help students who need the most help. Everyone who has come here has been very excited about it and ready to teach the whole child."

Contact Marlene Sokol at (813) 810-5068 or msokol@tampabay.com. Follow @marlensokol.