Educator Recruitment Strategies Toolkit for District Leaders

This toolkit focuses on the “Target” stage of the educator recruitment funnel, when candidates have completed the credentialing process and are deciding where to apply. Explore each stage of the Educator Talent Funnel and related resources in our K-12 Educator Pipeline Resource Hub.

K-12 districts across the country are facing shrinking applicant pools and a decline in candidate quality, making it increasingly difficult to meet hiring needs. But even if more candidates were available, many districts would still struggle to attract top talent—often because they plan recruitment efforts too late, communicate inconsistently across channels, rely on limited referral networks, and use cumbersome application processes.

This toolkit supports district leaders to strengthen their recruitment strategies by addressing breakdowns across the hiring process. It offers actionable advice and tools to help districts better forecast staffing needs, plan effective recruitment events, activate trusted messengers, clearly communicate with candidates, and streamline the application experience. Learn more about each section below, or download the full toolkit.

Part I: Forecast talent needs to power high-impact recruitment events

Deploy these tools to forecast hiring needs and launch early hiring efforts. Then, design targeted job fair resources and plan recruitment events to fill identified vacancies.

• Teacher Vacancy Predictive Dashboard Starter Kit
• Early Hire Engagement Guide
• District-Hosted Meet and Greet Planner
• Candidate-Centered Job Fair Flyer Guide

Part II: Activate school-based advocates to reach more applicants

These resources will help district leaders strengthen recruitment campaigns and employee referral efforts by activating teachers, principals, and staff as authentic messengers.

• Employee Referral Audit
• District-Wide Recruitment Campaign Messaging Templates
• Employee Referral Bonus Structure Guide

Part III: Deliver strong communication across digital channels

Use the audits below to review your current recruitment messaging and enhance the clarity and consistency of your district’s digital communication.

• Recruitment Website Audit
• Social Media Recruitment Audit

Part IV: Simplify the application process to improve candidate experience

The following tools will help districts streamline the application process and create a more user-friendly candidate experience.

• Job Posting Audit
• Application Simplification Audit
• Hiring Timeline Communication Guidelines
• Hiring Readiness Checklist for Principals