At City Teaching Alliance, we know that every student deserves a well-prepared, highly qualified teacher. Yet, many school districts struggle with teacher shortages, retention issues, and the challenge of providing effective training for early-career educators. That’s where we come in.

Finding qualified, committed teachers is critical to ensuring student success—but without proper support, many early-career educators leave within their first five years. We partner with districts to strengthen educator pipelines by providing:

• Comprehensive teacher recruitment strategies
• Practice-based training and coaching
• Pathways to teacher certification
• Support for paraprofessionals transitioning to teaching

With our 5C’s framework—Community, Coursework, Clinical Placement, Certification, and Coaching—we prepare high-quality educators who stay in the classroom and provide the expertise and support districts need to build a resilient, diverse, and sustainable teaching workforce.

The Challenges Districts Face in Teacher Recruitment and Retention

School districts across the country are facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining educators. Some of the most common issues include:

• High turnover rates: Nearly 50% of early-career educators leave the profession within the first five years due to a lack of support, professional development, and mentorship.
• Difficulties filling vacancies: In many regions, finding highly qualified candidates, especially in high-need subjects and underserved communities, remains one of the biggest challenges in the nation. Specifically, subject areas like STEM, special education, and bilingual education face critical teacher shortages.
• Lack of long-term workforce planning: Without a sustainable pipeline of new educators, districts often struggle to meet staffing needs year over year.
• The need for more community-rooted educators: Many districts want to build a teaching workforce that reflects the lived experiences of their student populations, but lack the tools or strategies to do so effectively.

At City Teaching Alliance, we directly address these challenges by providing strategic support in four key areas:

1. Full-Service Recruitment

Finding the right teachers takes more than just posting job openings. It requires a strategic, data-driven approach that attracts mission-driven, student-centered educators who are committed to long-term careers in the classroom.

We partner with districts to:

• Expand and diversify the candidate pool by proactively recruiting educators from various backgrounds.
• Streamline hiring processes to improve efficiency and reduce vacancy rates.
• Match districts with candidates who align with their schools’ specific needs and culture.

By leveraging our extensive network of educators and our deep expertise in teacher recruitment marketing, we ensure that districts not only fill their vacancies but do so with qualified, committed educators who are ready to make a difference.

2. Talent Acquisition Consulting

For districts looking to refine and improve their own hiring processes, we offer consulting services to optimize recruitment efforts, hiring practices, and retention strategies.

Our team helps districts:

• Develop targeted outreach strategies to attract high-quality candidates.
• Implement best practices for hiring and onboarding early-career educators.
• Use data-driven insights to improve recruitment outcomes.
• Enhance employer branding to position the district as a top choice for aspiring educators.

A strong recruitment strategy doesn’t just bring in new teachers—it keeps them engaged and supported, reducing turnover and improving long-term stability.

3. Early Educator Training & Instructional Coaching

Great teaching requires continuous learning. Far too often, early-career educators step into the classroom without the ongoing mentorship, coaching, and professional development they need to thrive. City Teaching Alliance provides high-quality training and mentorship, aligned with our 5C’s, to ensure every educator is set up for long-term success:

• Coursework & Clinical Placement
  • Practice-based learning that combines theory with real-world application.
  • Hands-on experience in real classrooms, ensuring new teachers gain confidence before leading their own.
• Coaching
  • One-on-one instructional coaching tailored to individual needs.
  • Ongoing feedback and professional development to strengthen teaching practices.
  • Support navigating licensure exams and certification requirements

By prioritizing coursework, clinical experience, and coaching, we help teachers build confidence, refine their skills, and stay in the profession longer.

4. Paraprofessional Pathway to Teaching

One of the most effective, community-driven strategies for strengthening the educator pipeline is supporting paraprofessionals—those already working in schools—as they transition into full-time teaching roles.

Our Paraprofessional Pathway to Teaching helps districts:

• Leverage existing talent by investing in paraprofessionals who are already working in schools and understand the school community.
• Provide structured coursework and certification support to help them transition into full-time teaching roles.
• Improve teacher diversity and retention by developing educators from within the local community.
• Create a sustainable, long-term solution to staffing shortages.

By formalizing and supporting the transition from paraprofessional to teacher, districts can fill vacancies with dedicated, homegrown educators who are deeply invested in their students’ success.

Why Partner with City Teaching Alliance?

At City Teaching Alliance, we don’t just place teachers in schools—we develop them into lifelong educators. Our approach is grounded in research, best practices, and a deep commitment to equity-driven, culturally responsive teaching.

By partnering with us, districts benefit from:

• Proven recruitment strategies that attract and retain top teaching talent.
• Hands-on coaching and development that strengthens early-career educators.
• Sustainable workforce solutions that reduce turnover and improve hiring efficiency.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the teaching profession.

Partner With Us to Build a Stronger Teaching Workforce

When educators thrive, schools thrive. By investing in teacher recruitment, training, and retention, districts can transform student outcomes and build a lasting pipeline of qualified, career-ready educators. We’re ready to help!

📩 Contact us at consulting@cityteachingalliance.org to explore how we can support your district’s educator pipeline.