Pasco’s Hudson Elementary still seeks new teachers after four forced out

After Hudson Elementary School lost four teachers because of their less-than-effective state performance ratings, the goal was to quickly find educators with higher scores to take the classes.

The Pasco County school district even offered $10,000 state-funded bonuses designed to attract applicants with top value-added model outcomes to the positions. The Florida Department of Education put $15.8 million toward the bonus program for D- and F-rated Title I schools.

A month later, Hudson continues to seek permanent replacements for the teachers forced out by the law. It still had advertised three vacancies on the district’s website as of Friday afternoon.

“We’re working hard to fill those positions,” principal Adrian Anthony said a week ago, when he still had five openings on his faculty. Some teachers had resigned in addition to those who were taken away.

In the meantime, the students in those classes were being led by what the district now calls guest teachers. District rules say that substitutes who do not have college degrees, but do hold a high school diploma or GED, may work in the schools.

Anthony said the substitutes at Hudson — including two “priority” subs assigned full time to support educators as they get training and planning time — have been strong for his school. Some have been around for years and know the community and people well, he said, and also have a history of involvement in education.

At the same time, he was clear that having certified teachers in the classrooms remains a top priority as Hudson endeavors to improve student outcomes on state measures, while also creating a climate of active parent engagement and high academic rigor.

The district has seen tepid results in past attempts to offer incentives for teachers to join low-performing schools. It ended a bonus program for Lacoochee Elementary in 2016, with superintendent Kurt Browning declaring that the investment yielded little return and that the idea “didn’t work.”

He raised several questions about pursuing the idea again in west Pasco during a recent School Board meeting, but said he would support it because the state money would go to other districts if Pasco doesn’t use it.