- Research Brief
Strategic Staffing in Tennessee: Trends from the 2025 Tennessee Educator Survey
- By Michelle Doughty
Key Findings
- Most principals reported that they are involved with assessing teacher applications but not recruiting for open positions. Principal hiring involvement is highest in suburban schools.
- About 60% of principals said that they find it challenging to recruit effective, qualified teachers. Principals in city and rural schools have consistently reported more difficulties filling teacher vacancies than those in suburban schools.
- Most principals reported using teacher evaluations to personalize professional development, set goals, and assign teachers to classrooms, but less than half said they use evaluations to determine teacher promotions.
- While under one-third of teachers currently serve in a teacher leadership role, almost 60% are interested in teacher leadership opportunities.
Suggested Citation
Doughty, M. (2025). Strategic Staffing in Tennessee: Trends from the 2025 Tennessee Educator Survey. Tennessee Education Research Alliance.