Savannah-Chatham County Schools tackles teacher shortage with new retention strategies

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Savannah-Chatham County Schools is working to fill teacher vacancies and keep experienced educators in the classroom as the school board prioritizes new recruitment and retention strategies.

School districts across the country are grappling with a teacher shortage, and that challenge is affecting the Coastal Empire.

During Wednesday’s informal session of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Board meeting, the district’s Talent Services Department shared an update on its efforts to recruit and retain educators. The shortage is part of a larger national trend.

“Because across America there’s a teacher shortage and there’s a war on talent,” said Dr. Michel Pantin, executive director of talent services for SCCPSS.

Despite those challenges, the district reports a retention baseline of 90.5 percent for the 2025 school year. Leaders said the figure is encouraging, but not the finish line.

“We aren’t where we want to be. We always want to retain even more. But we certainly are trending in the right direction,” Pantin said.

While recruitment remains a top priority, district leaders said they are placing increased focus on keeping the educators they already have.

District officials said stability in the classroom is key not only for staffing numbers, but for student success. When teachers stay, students benefit from stronger relationships and a more consistent learning environment.

“Stability matters because people stay where they’re seen and where they feel valued,” Pantin said.

The district said improving recruitment and retention will remain an ongoing effort as leaders work to strengthen the workforce and better serve students across the community.

The school district will host an educator’s fair March 21 at Jenkins High School from 9 a.m. to noon, hoping to find more teachers to fill current vacancies.