AASPA Blog

The Unstoppable YouBy: John C. Maxwell Are you unstoppable? You can be. Most people allow others to put limitations on them. They...

A superintendent shares how reimagining recruitment and retention helped her district develop a robust educator pipeline.

In this article, Tamy Smalskas delve into the transformative journey of teacher recruitment, exploring the emerging trends, challenges and...

When a new teacher or staff member joins a K-12 school district, they are often greeted with a comprehensive onboarding program detailing the...

Discover bold strategies reshaping how schools attract, welcome and keep top talent. From innovative recruitment pipelines to onboarding that builds...

Standout School LeadersBy: Alan C. Jones Bridge the gap between managing well and leading for impact. In this must-read guide for...

The U.S. education system faces a deep challenge: systemic barriers hinder the recruitment and retention of diverse educators, weakening equity,...

Embark on this empowering recruitment journey with me, and together we will build strong relationships, find the perfect fit and make a lasting...

69% of employees feel that they'd be motivated to work harder and will be more engaged if they feel like their efforts are recognized.

International Teachers Bring Diversity at Language Immersion School By Dr. Anthony Graham, Chief Operating Officer, St. Louis Language Immersion...

Onboarding new teachers into a school district is a crucial process that can greatly impact their success, job satisfaction and overall contribution...

Written by Jesse Roy, Education Strategy Director with PowerSchool. With costs rising, many districts are contending with budgets that represent...

For Immediate ReleaseMay 8, 2025Contact: Theresa Bordenave (Durbin), 202-224-8181 DURBIN, SMITH, SCHNEIDER, STEVENS INTRODUCE BILL TO ADDRESS...

Winning Strategies to Retain K-12 Educators and Administrators and Help Them Grow Insights on positive work culture and retention from...

Diverse teachers improve student outcomes—but hiring them takes intention. Dr. Katina Bookard shares 4 strategies to recruit, support, and retain...

In an effort to provide our members with resources and information vital to their success, AASPA is pleased to offer a new member benefit focused...

New OCR guidance scales back extreme Title VI interpretations, offering clarity on DEI, admissions, and race-related programming in schools and...

Across the country, teacher turnover rates are improving slowly, but teacher burnout remains a persistent challenge. Educator burnout can impact...

As Clear Concepts’ Practice Leader for HR Technology, let me begin by saying I love my job! Working with a firm whose only clients are public...

Recent executive actions on education civil rights— including those purporting to restrict affirmative action and diversity, equity, and...

Teacher burnout and staffing shortages are growing challenges in K-12 education. Discover how data-driven recruitment tools can streamline hiring...

A short order from a federal trial court in Kentucky sent shockwaves through the education community today by vacating the 2024 Title IX rule. As...

It’s the problem that keeps every school administrator awake at night. The nationwide teacher shortage has left our public schools scrambling...

My First AASPA Conference: A Memorable Experience in Seattle, WA Attending the AASPA (American Association of School Personnel Administrators)...

Making the decision to add or change technology in your district is a big deal, and likely means big changes to your employees’ day to day. In...

Stay a Step Ahead: Using Data to Minimize Teacher and Staff Absences Teacher and staff absenteeism is a significant challenge for school...

Did you know, cumulatively, students spend nearly a full year with substitutes from Kindergarten to 12th grade? Did you also know that 44% of...

School districts everywhere are facing a shortage of substitute teachers, and your district is likely experiencing it too. The recent COVID-19...

Visit Raise the Bar: Boldly Improve Learning Conditions to read more about the specific strategies outlined here, connect to resources, and...

The first year of teaching is an uphill climb. As new teachers learn the ropes, they also need to connect with colleagues and adapt to the culture...

Everyone has a coach these days. People have life coaches, nutrition coaches, and executive coaches. So, it's no surprise to see schools turning to...

Implementing the Revised Fair Labor Standard Act Rules New U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rules establishing the salary threshold for exemption...

Connection and Speed Let’s talk about connection and speed. At first glance, you might be thinking about your internet connection and whether...

In the ongoing pursuit of talent, organizations are constantly seeking ways to stand out from the crowd. One potent part of this process is the...

What is your definition of equity? We asked the question this year at the 2024 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit hosted in Dallas, TX. See what...

Navigating the Impostor Phenomenon: A challenge that could potentially affect the motivation of administrators of color to lead in education In the...

As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education case, it is crucial for those of us in human resources leadership...

When discussing the current state of education with administrators, one theme consistently predominates: the national teacher shortage crisis and...

Education professionals come to work to make a difference – technology should support them in that mission, not get in the way. Mitchell...

With nearly half of K12 workers feeling the burn of job-related stress, it’s clear that our educators and school staff are facing...

New teachers often report that clinical practice (AKA field experiences or student teaching) was the most impactful part of their preparation. The...

The promise of technology to fundamentally change how we teach and meet the diverse needs of all students has yet to be fully realized. A recently...

Servant leadership is a key component of educational leadership. Servant leadership is a key component of any type of leadership. It should be in...

Education is evolving for the better. Join us in leading the charge into the future. Students deserve to go back to school and gain a...

How many of us have stepped into a new role in HR and found it exciting, you just can’t wait to hit the ground running or [insert your own...

I can hardly believe we’re so close to Conference. I wanted to share some valuable tips and tricks to make sure you get the absolute most out...

“Habituating oneself to careful listening from the heart is essential for leaders. It conveys a functional benefit,reliably leading to a...

Empowering Others, Empowering Myself: A Teacher's Story of Transitioning from the Whiteboard to Onboarding May 2021 was a month that will forever...

We know the educator shortage is a national crisis. To promote conversations across traditional silos, the American Association of School Personnel...

We are big believers in using affordable technology to improve efficiency, ensure compliance, and ultimately help school system HR departments...

The old adage “People are your most important asset” turns out to be wrong. People are not your most important asset. The right people...

Contemplating How to Use AI in HR Artificial intelligence has been slowly helping Human Resources teams to automate processes and procedures,...

Imagine this: it is your first day at a new substitute teaching assignment. The school is one you have never stepped foot in, you have never met any...

This article originally appeared on the PowerSchool blog as “Improving the Teacher Recruitment Process.” It features insights from...

5 Reasons to Automate HR Tasks in 2023 One thing we’ve learned during our 20+ years of working exclusively with school districts is that HR...

Plagued by unprecedented challenges, and ever-changing educational landscapes, it’s no wonder that school districtsare struggling to recruit...

Easing the Stress of the Staffing Process By Jeff McHugh Working in education is never easy, but February is an especially tough month. Educators...

We are all aware that difficult employees can have a negative impact on the work environment. Often, difficult behaviors will result in decreased...

This article originally appeared on the PowerSchool blog as “Using The Danielson Group’s Framework for Teaching (FFT) to Improve...

As I begin my seventh year as an HR professional, I cannot help but wonder what I have done to movethe needle with regard to equity. There is...

Dr. Lisa Andrejko, Director of Education Solutions at PowerSchool, has more than 30 years of K-12 experience as an educator and superintendent....

As Human Resource professionals we are required to know what behaviors are acceptable at work and what behaviors cross the line. The problem is we...

In an effort to provide our members with resources and information vital to their success, AASPA is pleased to work with the US Department of...

As we shift into “Back to School” mode, Team Torace can support planning initiatives. This series offers tips and insight from our...

In most professions, if there are shortages, wages increase. In most professions, there is a single accreditor for those seeking to go into the...

OPINION: Building high-quality teacher residency programs is the right strategy for growing and supporting an effective, diverse teacher workforce;...

Dr. Lisa Andrejko, Director of Education Solutions at PowerSchool, drew on her more than 30 years of K-12 experience as an educator and...

AN ILLINOIS DISTRICT SPEAKS ON THE TEACHER RETENTION/RECRUITMENT CHALLENGE… Human Resources Deputy Superintendent at North Shore District...

Even before the pandemic, the country struggled with a critical teacher shortage that left more than 100,000 classrooms staffed by those not fully...

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF EDUCATORS IN 2022 :AASPA Executive Director Kelly Coash-Johnson and Dr. Cathy Donovan , Director of Elementary Human...

HR Practices of Top-Performing K-12 Districts Revealed in Annual K-12 HR Survey PowerSchool recently released the results of their annual K-12...

AASPA's Executive Director Kelly Coash-Johnson joined Education Talk Radio to discuss the National Educator Shortage. Listen Now! ...

The special skills, qualities, and behaviors of effective paraeducators. Kathleen Adolt-Silva, EdD | Kelly Education As school...

Our continued work in supporting teachers and staff in the Human Resources (HR) Department is hugely grounded in fully understanding and supporting...

For aspiring Human Resources (HR) professionals, I encourage you to continue to pursue your dream. Being an HR administrator is a rewarding...

Assigning elementary teachers to teach only their best subjects, also known as “teacher specialization,” holds a lot of appeal—but...

The AASPA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is embarking on a series of book studies and invites all AASPA members to participate. Our...

This is the first of three blogs exploring the state of teacher shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic and evidence-based solutions for addressing...

Developing the Leader within You by John Maxwell Book Review Brian Taylor, Executive Director of Human Resources, West Islip Union Free School...

As we enter the month of November, pausing for reflection feels incredibly important. Without a doubt, the past two years have been a trying time...

COVID-19 has forced school systems to exercise organizational agility and implement new practices and changes at an accelerated speed and volume...

The Survey This Spring Auburn-Washburn USD 437 conducted a survey of 147 college and university students that were approaching graduation and...

This past year the pandemic pushed all of us responsible for education talent management and culture to focus on the essentials: ensuring our people...

As we approach a year of learning disruption at the hands of COVID-19, students across the country are still not where they need to be academically....

Looking ahead to the 2021/22 school year, we see one North Star guiding school staffing: educators across America are irreplaceable. Fatigued...

When we talk about education, it is important to make a distinction between equity and equality. Equality would mean allocating the same level of...

I had no plans to become a teacher. Sure, I liked kids, I had been a camp counselor, and I always knew I would do something to serve the public...

For decades, school districts across the U.S. have been struggling to do more with less: Budget constraints are established top-down at the state...

Sourcing Through Networking Webster’s (2021) defines networking as “An interconnected or interrelated chain, group, or system.”...

If ever there was a time to bring together a diverse set of stakeholders to help identify their most urgent needs and weigh in on spending...

Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators by Dr. Tina Boogren is a straightforward approach to making self-care a priority for...

Fun fact #1:I “accidently” came upon this thin, purple, hard-back book, Through the Cracks, (Sollman, Emmons, & Paolini, 1994),...

COVID-19 has exposed antiquated systems and structures in our education system. As we accelerate into a new normal that includes a much heavier...

A national teacher shortage continues, confirmed by our 2020 PowerSchool TalentIndex Research Report. We just released this...

Life is all about perspective. On March 12, 2019 our students were participating in learning, preparing for state exams, and fully engaging in their...

I've worked in the entertainment, nonprofit, and the financial industry, and nothing has been quite as daunting, intimidating, and yet as exciting...

“92% of respondents reported that a positive recommendation from a friend, family member, or someone they trust is the biggest influence on...

As I sit here in September listening to holiday music, (see #1 below), I am reflecting on all that has happened in our country and schools since...

"A timely read of school administrators leading districts in uncharted times, Leading for Results Transforming Teaching, Learning, and...

The global pandemic has thrust teachers out of their comfort zone of face-to-face teaching into the digital realm where many lack the experience and...

"Out of all of the books I have read, Nine Minutes on Monday by James Robbins is the most simple and practical coaching manual on moving from...

"How to Be An Antiracist helped me to understand how the ethnic and racial divide in the educator workforce was a direct result of racist policies...

I completed a project for my boss who was interested in seeing how we could improve our careers website. I evaluated and scored different school...

Is eLearning the answer? In the face of snow days, emergencies and yes, deadly virus outbreaks, eLearning offers to keep students on track, and the...

By Kate Walsh For many districts, recruiting and retaining quality STEM teachers feels like an uphill battle with insufficient solutions. Yet for...

By Sam Stetcher I have noticed a tendency to call teachers superheroes and it’s been bothering me lately. If you are one of those people...

By: Kimberly Freeman A Three-Layered Mentoring Approach That Works In the spring of 2008, I walked through customs in Lahore, Pakistan, desperately...

By Joey Waters and Jeanette Wojcik A single teacher will come into contact with hundreds, if not potentially thousands, of young hearts and minds....