Promising Practices: Educators Matter

Educators Matter

Archuleta School District
Dolores RE-4A School District

Rural school districts are finding new and innovative ways to attract and retain teachers as Colorado reels with an ever-worsening teacher shortage, especially in hard to serve areas and subjects.

Storyline

As Colorado’s teacher shortage becomes more of a problem every year, smaller rural districts that are the most affected are coming up with new and innovative ways to attract and retain teachers.

For example, Archuleta School District in Pagosa Springs is trying to keep teachers by providing them with extra incentives for professional development.

In Dolores RE-4A School District, a possible loss of four pregnant teachers prompted the district to create an infant-toddler center that gives preferential spots to teachers. 

Linda Reed, superintendent of Archuleta School District, and Scott Cooper, formerly the superintendent of Dolores RE-4A, discuss how they have tackled the teacher shortage problem in their rural school districts.