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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT Amanda Darden, Chair CERRA Board of Directors  On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA), I am pleased to announce the appointment of a new Executive Director, Dr. Jenna Hallman. Jenna is currently serving as the Interim Executive Director and will assume the new position on July 1, 2021. Dr. Hallman was born and raised in Coventry, Connecticut. She has a BA in Early Childhood Education from UofSC-Upstate and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Clemson University. She also holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from Walden University. Dr. Hallman started teaching in 1999, achieved National Board (NB) Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist in 2002, and successfully renewed her NB Certification in 2012. Most of her classroom teaching career was spent teaching second grade at Calhoun Academy of the Arts in Anderson County School District Five. She finished her time at Calhoun Academy as the school science specialist. While in Anderson County School District Five, she worked on curriculum writing teams, provided professional development focused on science and math instruction, directed the District’s Camp Invention program, mentored early career educators, and hosted interns from local universities. Dr. Hallman initially came to CERRA to serve a year-long residency as the 2008-2009 SC Teacher of the Year. Following this residency, she assumed the role of Program Director for Teaching Fellows and National Board support and later added CERRA's Mentoring and Induction and Teacher Leadership programs to her list of responsibilities. Along with her Program Director duties, Jenna served as the Assistant Executive Director from 2012 until she was named Interim Executive Director in March 2021.  Jane Turner, CERRA’s long-time Executive Director, has stepped down from the Executive Director position, effective March 1, 2021. She will stay on staff at CERRA in a support capacity until her full retirement in August 2021.  Dr. Jenna Hallman, CERRA’s Assistant Director, has been named Interim Executive Director, also effective March 1, 2021.
The South Carolina Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement (CERRA) is seeking a dynamic and innovative Executive Director. CERRA was established in 1985 by the SC General Assembly, through the SC Commission on Higher Education, upon the passage of the Education Improvement Act. CERRA is funded annually by the South Carolina General Assembly and is considered to be the oldest and most established teacher recruitment program in the country. CERRA’s mission is to provide state-wide leadership in identifying, attracting, placing, and retaining well-qualified individuals for the teaching profession in South Carolina. CERRA is designed to be an independent, strategic, flexible, and innovative force that unifies efforts to enhance the teaching profession in South Carolina. To fulfill its mission, CERRA facilitates collaborations with other state agencies, professional organizations, universities, Pk-12 public schools, and the business community. CERRA supports a variety of programs and services aimed to increase the number of students in the education pipeline and to recruit and retain qualified, caring, and competent teachers for the state of South Carolina. The Center’s target groups are middle (the ProTeam program) and high school students (the Teacher Cadet and Teaching Fellows Programs), college students, and adults interested in changing careers. CERRA also targets groups of accomplished teachers through programs including mentoring and induction, teacher leadership, and National Board Certification support. Services directed toward public school districts include the annual Educator Supply and Demand Survey, the Online Educator Employment System, statewide teacher expos and the Rural Recruitment Initiative. The CERRA Board of Directors serves as the chief advisory and governing body for CERRA and advocates for the teaching profession in the areas of teacher recruitment, retention, and advancement. The CERRA Executive Director is employed, supervised, and evaluated by the Board of Directors on recommendation from the Board’s Executive Committee. The Board is comprised of 22 members who represent the various constituents—PK-12, higher education, professional organizations, business, and legislature. CERRA offices are located in the Stewart House on the Winthrop University campus in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Winthrop University serves as the fiscal agent for CERRA. Major Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Employment Conditions:
Position Availability: July 1, 2021 Application Deadline: March 19, 2021. Application materials received after this date may be considered if an acceptable candidate has not been selected. Application Procedures: 1. Submit the following materials:
Note: Applications will only be considered when all required materials are received. Additional materials may be requested during the review process. 2. Applications must be submitted electronically, including all supporting material. This application is now closed. Additional information about the SC Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement may be found at www.cerra.org. Inquiries should be directed to: Amanda Darden, Chair, CERRA Board of Directors Coastal Carolina University adarden@coastal.edu Phone: 843/349-2699 CERRA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. CERRA is committed to building a diverse educational environment. Individuals from under-represented groups or with experience working with under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.
BY DR. JENNIFER GARRETT
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) has released its 2020-21 South Carolina (SC) Annual Educator Supply and Demand Report. Approximately 6,000 teachers from 2019-20 did not return to teach in the same district for the 2020-21 school year. This is a 10% decrease compared to the number of departures reported last year. In the report, “teachers” include classroom-based certified educators as well as other certified educators who provide instructional/support services outside the classroom. Although the number of departures decreased overall, early-career resignations were more prevalent this year with 42% who had five or fewer years of SC teaching experience and 16% with one year or less. The percentages reported last year were 36% and 13%, respectively. Of the first-year teachers hired for the 2019-20 school year, 36% did not return to a teaching/service position in the same district in 2020-21. This percentage is up from 28% last year. Districts reported an increase of more than 140 vacant teaching/service positions for 2020-21 compared to last year. As of October/November this year, there were about 700 vacancies in SC public schools. With the growing impact of the pandemic, it was anticipated that districts would have more difficulty filling positions this year. Results from this year’s Supply and Demand Survey may not fully reflect the effects of COVID-19 on schools and districts. Many teachers may have already signed their contracts for 2020-21 when the impact of the pandemic began to be felt, potentially deterring them from resigning. Additionally, districts may have experienced more teacher departures after surveys were submitted. CERRA plans to survey district personnel directors in early 2021 to further assess how the pandemic is affecting their teacher recruitment and retention efforts. The SC Annual Educator Supply and Demand Report can be accessed on the CERRA website at https://www.cerra.org/supply-and-demand.html. BY DR. JENNIFER GARRETT
For a number of years the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) has been working closely with districts to better understand the reasons behind teacher departures. In May 2019, CERRA began an effort to identify the various methods districts are using to gather information about these departures. This report summarizes these findings, and outlines plans to continue exploring this topic during the 2020-21 school year. Readers can download the report below.  BY TODD SCHOLL
CERRA congratulates the five finalists for 2021 SC Teacher of the Year. These five teachers are distinguished as "Honor Roll Teachers." One of them will serve a one-year residency with us at CERRA during the 2020-21 school year. The Finalists
These five teachers will play an instrumental role in developing teacher leadership throughout the state over the next year. We look forward to working with them and thank them for being outstanding ambassadors of the teaching profession. BY DR. MARCELLA WINE-SNYDER CERRA held its annual Teacher Cadet National Honor Society Induction Ceremony at Samuel A. Heyward Career Center in Columbia, SC on Saturday, March 7, 2020. The poignant occasion formally recognized the stellar accomplishments of Teacher Cadets who represent the quintessence of excellence in education across South Carolina. Selection for the society is based upon careful consideration of scholarship, character, leadership, and service, the organization's four pillars. Rock Hill, SC - The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) has released its 2019-20 South Carolina (SC) Annual Educator Supply and Demand Report. The main purpose of this survey is to collect data on SC public school teachers entering the profession, those leaving their classrooms, and the number of vacant positions at the beginning of each school year. Approximately 6,650 teachers (in FTEs) left their position during or at the end of the 2018-19 school year. This is a 9% decrease compared to the number of teachers who left during or at the end of the 2017-18 school year. A significant decline in the number of retirements explains the majority of this reduction. Thirty-six percent of all teachers who left in 2018-19 had five or fewer years of experience in a SC public school classroom, and 13% had only one year (or less) of SC teaching experience. The percentages reported last year were 35% and 13%, respectively. A closer look at first-year teachers revealed some improvement in classroom retention. Of the first-year teachers hired for the 2018-19 school year, 28% did not return to the same position in 2019-20. This percentage is down from 34% last year. The proportion of newly hired teachers who are recent graduates of an in-state teacher preparation program remained steady, accounting for 23% of all new hires in 2019-20. The number of SC students who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree and teacher certification eligibility during 2018-19 is up by 79 graduates from the previous academic year. This is the first annual increase since 2013-14. Districts reported 555.5 teaching positions in SC public school classrooms that were still vacant at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year. This number represents an 11% decrease compared to vacancies reported at the beginning of the 2018-19 school year. Although the number is smaller, these vacancies are in addition to the 6,709 vacancies already filled by newly hired teachers prior to the beginning of the current school year. Most vacant positions, regardless of when they are filled in the school year, are caused by teacher departures. CERRA has begun working with districts to better understand reasons for teacher departures. In many cases, teachers do not provide a reason for leaving, or the district may not collect the information. Teachers often state “personal/family” reasons for leaving, which may be accurate at times, but not in all situations. It is likely that teachers can be less than candid with their reasons for leaving, especially if they are related to any type of job dissatisfaction. The SC Annual Educator Supply and Demand Report can be accessed on the CERRA website at https://www.cerra.org/supply-and-demand.html.  BY TODD SCHOLL
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) released its 2018-19 Annual Report today. The comprehensive report provides updates on CERRA's continuum of programs and services designed to recruit, retain, and advance educators for public schools in South Carolina. Readers can download the entire report below. |
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