Revised hiring rules allow some schools to take in new teachers

Having narrowly escaped laying off more than 4,000 teachers — at least for now — Chancellor Joel Klein is permitting some principals to hire new ones.

Hiring rules posted today on the Department of Education’s website continue, and in some cases tighten, restrictions that have been in place since May 2009. Under the new rules, schools that opened in 2008 or later can hire up to 40 percent of their new teachers from outside the system. Last year, new schools could look outside the system for 50 percent their hires.

Unlike last year, new schools are barred from hiring elementary school classroom teachers who don’t already work in the system. And the exemption granted for science teachers in the past is no longer in place; only a tiny number of license areas are free of restrictions, such as special education and Spanish bilingual education.

Anticipating that principals are likely to cut assistant principal positions this year to meet their slimmed down budgets, the city is also requiring that all schools hire assistant principals from the excess pool. Last year, as in previous years, principals could hire assistant principals from inside and outside the system.

Prospective teachers have only until the end of the month to apply to teach. The rules posted today, which could change as the system’s staffing needs become clearer, are listed below.

2010- 2011 Hiring Guidelines

Please note that this space will be updated if any changes are made to our hiring policies. Last updated June 7, 2010. The New York City Department of Education has implemented hiring restrictions for the 2010-2011 school year, meaning schools are not permitted to hire external candidates for their vacancies. However, hiring exceptions have been made for the following subjects, schools, and titles. Subject Area Exceptions- Teachers

  • Special Education
  • Bilingual Special Education
  • Speech Improvement
  • Bilingual subject areas other than Bilingual Common Branches/Childhood (Spanish) or Bilingual Early Childhood (Spanish).

New and Phase-In Schools Exceptions- Teachers

  • New Schools: Schools in their 1st, 2nd or 3rd year of operation (opened 2008-2010) are permitted to hire externally for up to 40% of their teaching vacancies.
  • Phase-In Schools: Grade 6-12 schools with two or more grades to phase-in may hire external candidates for up to 40% of the teaching vacancies in their expansion grade(s) only.
  • Both New and Phase-in Schools: These exceptions do not apply to childhood (common branches) or early childhood vacancies.

Schools that are searching for external teacher candidates for vacancies will advertise these vacancies in the New Teacher Finder. Candidates must submit a completed application by 5PM at June 30, 2010 in order to be included in the New Teacher Finder. Other School-Based Titles Hiring restrictions are in place for all other school based personnel titles except the following:

  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal (candidates must be internal to the DOE, but may be in another title)
  • Parent Coordinator
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physical Therapist

For information on submitting an application for one of these titles, visit the DOE’s Career page.