Recruit and Retain High Quality Staff
In Garrett County, we have a highly talented staff of 565 full-time benefited employees including 306 teachers who educate approximately 3,400 students. Of our teaching staff, 5.7% are National Board Certified (NBC) and the average teacher tenure is 14.9 years. Each year, 8.26% of our staff transition out of their roles. As we implement the Maryland Blueprint, a key priority is improving staff retention, particularly in critical areas such as special education.
To address this, we are developing a Career Ladder that offers competitive pay, a balanced school day with dedicated time for teacher planning and collaboration, and an enhanced evaluation system that meets the needs of all teachers. This Career Ladder will reflect our local context and values while clearly outlining role descriptions at each of the four levels as well as the pathway for staff to progress between them. As part of the Career Ladder, we aim to identify talented teacher leaders who will provide job-embedded learning for our staff. Through the Career Ladder, we will also incentivize our teachers to pursue and earn National Board Certification.
