Recruitment and Retention of Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in BC Public Schools. BCTF Research
Author: British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) (Canada)
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Recruitment,Teacher Persistence,Deafness,Hearing Impairments,Public School Teachers,Faculty Development,Equal Education,Inclusion,Teacher Selection,Credentials,Teacher Qualifications,Specialists,Barriers,Costs,Access to Education,Graduate Study,Teacher Certification,Teacher Salaries,Employment Patterns,Mentors,Teaching Load,Transportation,Educational Planning,Staff Meetings,Itinerant Teachers

As a significant number of British Columbia's Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ToDHHs) reach retirement eligibility in the coming decade, this report highlights various educational, economic and workplace-related impediments to attracting and retaining qualified ToDHHs in British Columbia (BC) public schools. The report endeavours to inform ongoing dialogue regarding potential recruitment and retention approaches--and strategic improvements to employment and professional development provisions--for ensuring the BC public school system continues to fulfill its mandate to provide deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) learners with equitable and inclusive education from qualified specialist teachers. In Spring 2018, the British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) Research Department analysed the results of a provincial survey of ToDHHs, as well as a broad range of public policy documents relating to DHH learners, and ToDHHs' training and qualifications, job responsibilities, and working conditions. Key findings in credentialing and hiring practices include: (1) inconsistencies between national, provincial and local policy documents regarding required credentials and qualifications for ToDHHs; (2) varied understanding and representation of specialist teachers' work in general, and the unique responsibilities of ToDHHs in particular; and (3) the potential negative impact of vague employment posting language and content on recruitment of specialist teachers. Key findings in the areas of Recruitment and Retention Barriers include: (1) high cost and lengthy period of initial qualification for ToDHH specialist professional preparation; (2) limited availability and access to graduate specialist programs in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing; (3) limited availability and access to Teacher Regulation Branch-approved alternative certification programs and pathways for Deaf/Hard of Hearing candidates to acquire initial teacher certification; (4) inadequate salaries for both early and later career ToDHHs in BC public schools relative to other Canadian jurisdictions; (5) precarious employment (i.e. term/part time assignments; unclear assignment conditions); and (6) limited or inaccessible mentorship and professional development provisions. Key findings in the area of employment provisions include: (1) absent, inconsistent and/or untenable caseload limits; (2) varied administrator/teacher consultation mechanisms for staffing and workload; (3) inadequate professional development access and funding; (4) inconsistent transportation/travel compensation and insurance allowances; and (5) varied time allotments for preparation, administrative tasks, staff meeting attendance, and collaboration/consultation time with classroom teachers. This report invites further dialogue regarding how education policy might be leveraged to diminish or remove significant recruitment and retention barriers and address inadequate working and professional learning provisions identified in the study.