New System Helps Recruit and Interview Teachers

Published January 25, 2007

To be successful, you have to have the best people on your team. That's always been the case at Williamson County Schools and now a new system in place aims to get even more talent to lead our classrooms.

Williamson County Schools began using Gallup University's TeacherInsight program on January 1. TeacherInsight is an online application system that allows candidates to apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system has candidates take an online assessment that takes about 40 minutes. The results are then instantly reported to district personnel. The assessment goes beyond the traditional set of questions regarding experience and educational credentials. It looks at the candidate's talent.

"We're really trying to get to the heart and soul of what makes a good teacher and identify great talent," says Williamson County Schools Human Resources Director Judith Looney. "This program allows us to cast a much wider net and very quickly identify the top talent, which is key."

The ability to recruit teachers from anywhere in the country at any time of the day or night was also a huge draw to the program says Williamson County Schools Employee Relations and Recruitment Coordinator Eugene Wade. "The big advantage is being able to cover such a wide area. I've been impressed with the number of applications coming in to this point."

From a human resources and principal perspective, the program will also help cut back on work hours and paperwork.

"We're working towards a totally paperless process," says Looney. "Plus it will allow principals to spend more time in their schools and will help cut untold man-hours."

"I am expecting that this change in our selection process will allow us to be more efficient with our time and resources," says Ravenwood High School Principal Pam Vaden.

Principals attended training sessions on January 18 and 19 to learn about the program and what it means for them. They learned how to interpret scores and learned how they can best utilize the system in finding great teachers.

"We know that we will now have instant access to information about our candidates and their teaching talents," says Scales Elementary School Principal Rick West. "This information will allow more candidates to be screened and principals can then interview and select among the very best."

The TeacherInsight system is research based and indicates that if schools select teachers who score high on the talent scale, they will have students who will perform at higher levels.

"Talent cannot be taught. As administrators it is exciting to hire phenomenal teachers already noted for their 'heart' for teaching and then give them the supports to grow and learn and perfect their craft of teaching," says Heritage Elementary School Principal Jane Franks. "I am appreciative in receiving it and proud of my district for allowing such advanced training."

To apply for a teacher position in Williamson County Schools, you can visit the Human Resources homepage.