Knox County Schools has almost 400 vacancies, down about 100 from the start of the school year

At the start of the school year, Knox County Schools had the tough task of filling almost 500 staff vacancies. At the start of the new year and halfway through the academic calendar, leaders have made headway, though some critical teaching jobs remain open.

High schools have the largest concentrations of students and some of the largest number of vacancies. Central, Fulton and South-Doyle high schools have the highest numbers in the district, each with at least 18 different types of openings. Vacancies have gone down at some of those schools and up at others. For instance, in September, South-Doyle High School had 15 openings but that figure is now up to 21.

Hiring skilled teachers takes constant recruiting. At the start of the school year, about 160 certified teacher positions were open across all schools. That number is now down to 129.

"Minimizing those vacancies is a priority for the district," said Jennifer Hemmelgarn, Knox County Schools' assistant superintendent of business and talent. "We work with principals to understand what resources and flexibility the school has so we can make sure that students' educational experience is not disrupted or is disrupted as minimally as possible."

Knox County Schools is most in need of tutors, teaching assistants, football coaching assistants and special education teachers. Across all grades, the district is short of 48 special education teachers. The position pays a minimum of $44,800 a year.

Literacy tutors are in demand as well, with 42 open positions that pay a minimum of $125 a day for full-time work.

Which Knox County schools have the most vacancies?

Some schools are hurting more than others. South-Doyle High School has the highest number of certified teacher openings: three special education teachers, one science teacher, one career and tech teacher and two language teachers.

When a school is particularly short-staffed, district leaders work with the principal to prioritize recruitment, Hemmelgarn said. Additionally, the talent team connects with schools to see what immediate resources can be allocated there, she added.

At the start of the school year, Vine Middle School had the highest number of openings for certified teacher positions with nine vacancies. That number is now down to six. The remaining openings are for a social worker, two special education teachers, a fine arts teacher, an eighth grade science teacher and an instructional coach. All these jobs pay a minimum of $44,800 a year, except the instructional coach position paying a minimum of $45,920.

Several schools have only one opening each.

What incentives are available to help cover the vacancies?

The district offers signing bonuses for math, science and special education teachers. Additionally, the district is offering a longer contract — 205 days as opposed to 200 days — for teachers in some of the district's most challenged schools, especially those in Region 5, which has nine elementary schools and two high schools on the city's east and northeast sides.

The extra contract days mean more money paid out to those teachers.

Are there other staffing shortages in Knox County Schools?

At the start of the school year, the district was facing a bus driver shortage, with 31 openings in August. That number is now down to 20.

The district contracts with independent providers for service on about 355 buses.

How do I find out which positions are open?

If a candidate without an education degree is interested in teaching, the district runs an Educator Preparation Program.

Open positions at Knox County Schools, including job description and salaries, are online at knoxschools.munisselfservice.com. Another way of finding a job at the district is by filling out the talent interest form launched by Knox County Schools, which indicates general interest - not tied to any specific position - in working for the district. The form can be found online at knoxschools.org/recruitment.

The district has 58,873 students across 94 schools and employs 4,994 teachers and staff members, according to the latest available data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Out of the employee total, 4,352 are teachers, adding up to a ratio of about 14 students for every teacher.

Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AreenaArora.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County Schools has almost 400 vacancies