Educator Perceptions of Spanish Teacher Recruitment in Massachusetts

As Massachusetts focuses on expanding world language programs and ad- dresses teacher shortages, the need for comprehensive, evidence-based information about effective recruitment practices has become increasingly urgent. This study offers timely insights as educational leaders national-wide seek data-driven strategies to attract and sustain diverse, high-quality language educators in the state's increasingly multilingual classrooms. This descriptive qualitative study, utilizing survey data from 64 educators, explored existing recruitment strategies and their effectiveness. Findings indicated reliance on online job postings, particularly SchoolSpring, alongside networking and district websites, yet highlighted challenges in successful hiring with extended recruitment timelines. While demand for Spanish teachers has grown over the past five years, districts often lack targeted incentives, and pay concerns are prevalent. This study highlights the need for innovative recruitment strategies and greater support for Spanish language educators to achieve state educational goals.