August 4th 2023.
Devon Horton, Ed.D., the newly appointed superintendent of Dekalb County Public Schools in Georgia, has taken on a monumental task. The teacher shortage within the county has grown to 400 personnel needed in and out of the classroom and Horton is working to quickly rectify the issue before the start of the school year.
Horton initially had plans to create a banner to attract eligible applicants, however, he soon realized that this wasn't going to produce the swift results needed to fill the vacancies. He quickly shifted his plan to allocate funds and hire support staff instead.
“It wasn’t just something I started two weeks ago on July 1. I had the opportunity to look and observe the surveys principals took in 2021 that talked about the supports they would need and I took that data and we went to work,” Horton shared.
The $12 million plan has generated a bit of concern as people worry that Horton is “stacking” the main offices, however, Horton has been quick to reassure the public that this is not the case. He is confident that this approach will ultimately help students most and that millions are still being invested in other capacities such as the special education program and the hiring of more tutors.
With the first day of school in 138 schools in the district less than a month away, Horton is working hard to ensure that his plan is widespread and quick enough to make a difference. He hopes that his efforts will help to ease the teacher shortage in Dekalb County and ultimately benefit the students.
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