Hiring Non-U.S. and Uncertified Teachers

I receive two or three emails per week from non-U.S. teachers asking about employment at American private schools. My response is always the same: take care of the employment visa and then, and only then, you can begin your job search.

Immigration Visas

Without permission to work in the United States, very few schools will go to the tremendous trouble of petitioning the Immigration and Naturalization Service to obtain working papers for you. The reason for this is simply that teachers generally fall into a category of workers seeking employment-based visas, called "Employment Third Preference (E3)." This includes "Skilled Workers, Professionals Holding Baccalaureate Degrees and Other Workers." This category is below the First Preference (E1) generally reserved for "Persons of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics." Put another way, the chances of a school going through all that effort and expense for a teacher who may or may not stay with the school for a long period of time are usually pretty slim. It is simply not a good investment.

Now one promising intiative is the NAIS's China Connection Program. NAIS recruits Chinese nationals to teach Mandarin in member schools. This offers economies of scale and sets clear expectations in the hiring process.

Another avenue to explore is the Amity Institute's Exchange Teacher Program. The program has certain minimum requirements which must be met before you can be considered. The appointments are temporary, typically lasting 1-3 years.

Hiring Non-certified Teachers

Twenty or thirty years ago it was fairly common to find faculty at private schools who were not certified and licensed. Indeed many had never even taken an education course. Times have changed. Increasingly state education departments require teachers in all schools to meet state standards for teacher certification. Parents too are demanding maximum value for their tuition dollar and expect their children's teachers not only to be knowledgeable in their subject, but also skilled in education techniques. In other words, it is no longer simply enough to know your subject; you must be able to teach it effectively. Furthermore, many aspects of K-12 education have become incredibly specialized. Special education, the International Baccalaureate and the Advanced Placement programs all demand highly qualified, highly trained professionals capable of doing the job to the highest standards.

Certification and licensing standards vary nationwide.

Each state has its own requirements for teacher licensing. In addition there is a national certification which is gradually gaining acceptance. From the private school perspective it is important to be able to maintain and improve standards. A school's reputation generally rises or falls according to its students' academic success. For junior schools that success is most often defined by the upper schools at which its graduates are accepted. Private high schools are in turn judged by where their graduates go after grade 12.

Hire the best people available.

A highly trained, certified and licensed teaching staff is a critical component in achieving the kind of success which will keep an institution moving forward. Remember: if the customers do not like the product, they will look elsewhere. Without guaranteed funding in the form of tax dollars, a private school needs tuition income to survive. Its product must be the best value it can possibly be. Satisified parents and graduates do indeed ensure the future of a school.