Richland 1 has over 200 vacant teaching positions. How will they be filled?
With over 200 vacant certified teaching positions, Richland One is taking a new approach to recruiting talent.
In previous years, the district relied heavily on international teachers to fill empty classrooms, hiring 134 during the 2024-2025 school year.
However, as the 2025-2026 school year approaches, the district is recruiting less international teachers with hopes of garnering more local talent.
Is it viable to use international teachers?
The number of international teachers has steadily increased statewide, reaching a record number of 579 during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the state Department of Education.
That year, Richland One had 71 international teachers, the highest number among all South Carolina public school districts. This past school year, the district nearly doubled its number of international teachers.
The international teachers brought in by Richland One are all certified educators in their home countries as well as in the United States. Many of them have years of teaching experience and, according to the district, bring a lot of value to Richland One’s classrooms.
The value of international teachers “goes beyond filling a vacancy. Our cultural exchange teachers provide opportunities for our students and communities to learn about new cultures from around the world,” said the district in an email to The State.
However, many international teachers aren’t able to stay with the district for long periods because of the time limit of their visas or U.S. sponsorship. This creates a cycle in which vacant roles are filled by international teachers, only to become vacant again shortly thereafter.
“We have the J1 (international) teachers, but they can only stay for five years. So then they leave, and then we look at hiring more if we have spaces for them,” said Tammy Smalls, the district’s coordinator of staffing, credentialing and alternative programs.
In addition to having limited time with the district, international teachers sometimes face challenges when connecting with students of different backgrounds.
“Here you have to learn about classroom management, (including) the discipline,” Ancuta Hozan, an international assistant principal at A.C. Flora High School, said. “That’s one of the biggest issues that an international teacher needs to research and needs to be trained on.”
Hozan, originally from Romania, has been with Richland One for eight years. Before being promoted to assistant principal, she served as a French teacher, a senior instructor and a teacher cadet at multiple different schools.
Hozan describes her experience with the district as a meaningful journey that involved navigating cultural differences and overcoming language barriers with her students. Challenges aside, she takes pride in her growth and says she felt supported by the district every step of the way.
“They saw more in me than just a person with an accent. This district believed in me and they offered me the resources that I needed to be where I am today,” Hozan said.
Despite the drawbacks that come with hiring international teachers, Richland One values their contributions.
Nonetheless, district officials chose to hire less international teachers for the upcoming school year because they hope to recruit more local talent to fill vacant positions.
“While we do value the cultural experiences of our international teachers in all of our schools, we also are supportive of candidates who work towards certification through alternative programs and traditional education programs.”
Attracting local teachers
In the past few years, Richland One has put more effort into recruiting candidates from South Carolina by partnering with local colleges and universities to get early access to qualified new graduates.
“We actively engage with local colleges and universities to build strong, collaborative relationships that support the development of future educators,” Karen York, the district’s director of communications, said.
Richland One participates in career fairs, residency programs, mentorship programs and speaking engagements that offer college students the opportunity to “gain valuable insights into career opportunities and pathways within our district.”
Additionally, Richland One has partnered with alternative teacher certification programs such as Carolina Collaborative for Alternative Preparation, Alternative Pathways to Educator Certification and Teach for America to hire recent program graduates.
To reach an even broader audience, Richland One says it has increased its social media presence and restructured the district’s website to make it more appealing to potential hires.
While the goal is to hire more local teachers, Richland One also wants them to stay with the district for as long as possible. To encourage candidates to stay, the district says it is introducing competitive incentive packages as well as ways to recognize teachers for their hard work.
“Our schools and district consistently recognize and celebrate staff accomplishments. We offer a competitive salary along with an incentive package for new and current employees,” York said.
The district offers an annual base salary of approximately $50,000 with incentives such as a $2,000 sign on bonus, relocation reimbursement and home closing cost assistance.
As the district moves into a new school year with a new superintendent, Todd Anthony Walker, officials hope their efforts will bring more teachers into their classrooms.
“These efforts reflect our commitment to cultivating the next generation of educators,” York said.
