The Pine Bluff superintendent says he's tried everything from recruiting, contacting colleges, even advertising, and he can't get anyone to fill open junior and senior high school
math teacher positions. He says it's tough to find good people who teach math and science wherever you are, but in Pine Bluff it's even more difficult. Frank Anthony is pulling out all the stops fill these jobs.
Brian Lamar Donald is spending his summer at the Pine Bluff Boys and Girls Club but he can't wait to get back to school in August. The 12-year-old wants to be a real estate agent when he grows up and he knows he needs good math skills to do the job.
"Math is one of the most important subjects in the world," Donald said.
But Superintendent Frank Anthony says the district needs a junior high algebra teacher and algebra 2 and geometry teachers at the high school. So far the district has had no bites.
"Our colleges and universities are not producing enough so demand exceeds supply," says Anthony. Plus he says Pine Bluff image problems and slightly lower salaries due to a smaller tax base make recruiting tougher.
Superintendent Anthony says the district goes the extra mile to make sure people come here and stay, like offering good professional development hours, more than what the state requires 200 dollars a month for your health insurance, and free dental insurance after 6 months.
Anthony says some teachers get to work in the district's state-of-the-art advanced placement academy. And once more than $10 million in stimulus money comes through there will be more resources in all classrooms. Anthony says the district produced Bill Gates scholarship winners four years in a row and the Pine Bluff school district is a good place to work.
"We're probably the best kept secret in town," Anthony said.
Frank Anthony's last day is actually Tuesday. Robert Hanley will take over as interim superintendent when Anthony retires.
FOX16 called around to several other districts to see what they're experiencing. Little Rock has
49 jobs open and usually has a hard time finding math, science and Spanish teachers. North Little Rock has a year round recruiting strategy and they're on track to fill the 25 open jobs. There are
115 jobs up for grabs in PCSSD and that district really needs special education and Spanish teachers. And Bryant needs to fill special education jobs too.
