Build. Inspire. Connect.

1. CONFIDENTIAL Build. Inspire. Connect. Presented by the team from the Stanford Graduate School of Business February 21, 2009 DCPS Human Capital Strategy Education Leadership Case Competition

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • DCPS will need to hire 10-40% more teachers per year than it did in 2008 while facing significant uncertainty about whether the WTU contract will pass. • Given this uncertainty, DCPS should commence a communication effort that will both increase the pool of teachers and guard against a collapse of the reform effort if the WTU contract is voted down. • DCPS should take a portfolio marketing approach to reaching the various sources of new teachers, including recently unemployed STEM professionals, and refine its selection criteria over time to get better quality from this enlarged pool.

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • DCPS will need to hire 10-40% more teachers per year than it did in 2008 while facing significant uncertainty about whether the WTU contract will pass. • Given this uncertainty, DCPS should commence a communication effort that will both increase the pool of teachers and guard against a collapse of the reform effort if the WTU contract is voted down. • DCPS should take a portfolio marketing approach to reaching the various sources of new teachers, including recently unemployed STEM professionals, and refine its selection criteria over time to get better quality from this enlarged pool.

4. THE NEED FOR QUALITY TEACHERS WILL GROW SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS • Urgent need • Our kids desperately need higher quality teachers • Increasing need • Retirements of baby boom generation • More stringent PPEP process • Even greater need if improvements lead to increase in enrollment • Assumptions • 4-5% turnover due to PPEP • Zero growth in enrollment, steady student:teacher ratio • Attrition and retirement rates lower due to poor economy

5. RECRUITMENT IS A NECESSARY BUT INSUFFICIENT COMPONENT TO MEET FUTURE HIRING NEEDS AND TO INCREASE TEACHER QUALITY • Expand pipeline by developing recruitment channels • Refine value proposition and message • Review selection criteria • Review hiring and placement process • Assess needs of teachers and current programs • Fully implement PPEP • Build data assessment system • Develop career value proposition

6. DCPS SHOULD HAVE A PORTFOLIO OF RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES TARGETING DIFFERENT POTENTIAL SOURCES OF NEW HIRES • New teacher sources • Easier • Alt cert channel • There’s no ideal single source for new teachers that will easily meet the full need • Given that, DCPS should target all groups in a focused and efficient manner • Local new ed school grads • Ability to hire • Local veteran teachers • Career switchers / unemployed • Difficult • Out of state veteran teachers • Hundred • Thousand • Ten thousand • Number of potential high-quality hires

7. “LOSING” THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION COULD SUBSTANTIALLY HINDER THE REFORM EFFORT • Negative national and local media attention • Perception as a “loss” by DCPS • Potential loss of community faith in reform effort (e.g., “here we go again”) • Organizational implications • Loss of biggest recruitment lever (higher salaries) and lever to improve outcomes (performance pay) • Loss of internal reform momentum • Empowered Union • Greater pressure from Council • Greater political pressure on Mayor Fenty as he launches reelection campaign • Implications for Chancellor Rhee • Loss of national stature • DCPS must start preparing for this potential

8. STAYING ON TRACK REQUIRES FOCUSING STAKEHOLDERS ON THE CORE ELEMENTS OF THE REFORM EFFORT 3 • Repaint the Picture • Re-emphasize importance of investment in teacher quality and student outcomes • Detail new plan to achieve the same mission 2 • Attend to the Governance Issues • Engage the Mayor in the process • Articulate benefits of continued Mayoral control 1 • Guide the Discussion • Focus on the future, not the past

9. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • DCPS will need to hire 10-40% more teachers per year than it did in 2008 while facing significant uncertainty about whether the WTU contract will pass. • Given this uncertainty, DCPS should commence a communication effort that will both increase the pool of teachers and guard against a collapse of the reform effort if the WTU contract is voted down. • DCPS should take a portfolio marketing approach to reaching the various sources of new teachers, including recently unemployed STEM professionals, and refine its selection criteria over time to get better quality from this enlarged pool.

10. “I am a Teacher” “Be the Change” RECRUITMENT MESSAGING MUST BOTH INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BECOME TEACHERS AND ATTRACT EXISTING TEACHERS TO DCPS Build Cachet. Inspire to Teach. Connect to Reform. Messages Rationale • Raises cachet of being a teacher • Speaks to multiple segments • Leverages background of Michelle Rhee as a teacher • Inspires by connecting individual with larger purpose • Leverages change atmosphere and connection with D.C. • Consistent with reform message

11. EXAMPLE MEDIA CAMPAIGNS Marines TV spot Obama Campaign Music Video “Thank you troops” TV spot

12. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • DCPS will need to hire 10-40% more teachers per year than it did in 2008 while facing significant uncertainty about whether the WTU contract will pass. • Given this uncertainty, DCPS should commence a communication effort that will both increase the pool of teachers and guard against a collapse of the reform effort if the WTU contract is voted down. • DCPS should take a portfolio marketing approach to reaching the various sources of new teachers, including recently unemployed STEM professionals, and refine its selection criteria over time to get better quality from this enlarged pool.

13. DCPS SHOULD PURSUE FOUR STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP A ROBUST RECRUITMENT PORTFOLIO • Source • Strategy • New alt cert STEM hires • Identify recent unemployed professionals with appropriate backgrounds and funnel them to the Fellows program to increase STEM hires • New ed school grads • Engage in aggressive recruiting (e.g., guaranteed contracts, on-campus interviews, accelerated timeline) at local and top 20 ed schools • Veteran teacher referrals • Create a bonus for all DCPS employees who refer a veteran teacher who is hired as a DCPS teacher • Career switchers, unemployed, past alt cert applicants • Create incentives (e.g., mentoring, guaranteed contract, loan guidance) to get a standard license

14. COMBINED, STRATEGIES HAVE POTENTIAL TO EXCEED HIRING NEEDS, ENABLING DCPS TO SELECT HIGHER QUALITY TEACHERS Incremental increase in teachers from 2008 baseline due to strategies Alt Cert STEM Ed schools Veteran teachers Yr 1 increase Career switchers, past alt cert applicants Yr 2 increase Projected incremental need* * Assumes 2008 as a baseline, does not include portion of new vacancies that will be filled by Fellows and TFA (assuming 40% come through the alt cert pathway)

15. TO CONVERT APPLICANTS INTO HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS, DCPS MUST IMPROVE SELECTION AND DELIVER ON VALUE PROPOSITION • Apply fit characteristics to screening process • Shift selection focus to previous measureable results • Create Recruitment Fellow role for high-performing teachers • Design placement process to focus on neediest schools • Use PPEP to identify school and individual needs • Use PPEP to leverage teacher strengths by developing other teachers • Develop differentiated career ladder • Create incentives for high performers (i.e., externship opportunities)

16. ON AVERAGE, PLAN INCREASES COSTS PER TEACHER BY $650, WHICH IS REASONABLE GIVEN INCREASE IN QUALITY Recruitment & Selection Cost/Teacher $2,400 $1,750 Number of new teachers 450 550

17. IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE • Timing • ASAP • Steps • Engage Ad Council to produce and place ads on local media • Mid-May • Replace old marketing materials • Update website • Hire additional staff (e.g., Recruitment Fellows Coordinator) • Mid-May • Chancellor to give interviews with local media • Press conference with Mayor • Ongoing • Processing of greater number of applications • Greater capture of data on the process • Recruit and train Recruitment Fellows

18. Message • Methods to Identify Quality • Portfolio marketing approach • Recently unemployed STEM professionals • Refined selection criteria Build Cachet. Inspire to Teach. Connect to Reform. • Improved academic outcomes for the children of the District

19. APPENDIX

20. SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY IN PASSING NEW WTU CONTRACT • Established local opposition to it • Leadership issues in WTU • Voice vote at school opening meeting • Upcoming advertising campaign for Union-preferred contract • National Union opposition • D.C. battle is strategic for union given high profile • Poor economy makes paying for new contract even more difficult if it passes • Foundations scaling back grant funding • District government has spared DCPS budget cuts, but will face ongoing revenue challenges • Reliance on reform in special education to pay for contract in the long-term

21. SELECTION AND PLACEMENT DETAIL

22. TRAINING AND PD DETAIL

23. CAREER MANAGEMENT AND PPEP DETAIL

24. RECRUITMENT FELLOWS DETAIL 32 fellows earning $35 stipend per hourRun-rate program budget = $130K

25. RECOMMENDED PORTFOLIO OF RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES • # of additional teachers • Source • Strategy • New alt cert STEM hires • Increase number of STEM teachers hired through alt cert • Target recent unemployed professionals with math or science backgrounds and funnel them to the Fellows program • Shift TFA corps member mix to increase the number of secondary math and science teachers • 30 • 0 • New ed school grads • Conduct more aggressive on-campus recruitment at local and nationally prominent ed schools, with an accelerated timeline and employment guarantees • Local schools • National schools • 30-50 • 20-40 • Veteran teachers • Create a referral bonus for all DCPS employees who refer a veteran teacher who is hired as a DCPS teacher • Local veterans • Out of state veterans • 20-40 • 20-40 • Career switchers, unemployed, past alt-cert applicants • Create a program in which accepted candidates receive a bonus, mentoring, and guaranteed contract if they enroll in and graduate from a graduate school of education • Target recently unemployed professionals in the area • Target high-prospect candidates not accepted to TFA or Fellows • 90-120 • 60-90

26. ASSUMPTIONS AND PROJECTIONS BY PORTFOLIO STRATEGY (1 of 2) • Sources: US Census, Woodrow Wilson School, US World & Report, Bureau of Labor Statistics

27. ASSUMPTIONS AND PROJECTIONS BY PORTFOLIO STRATEGY (2 of 2)

28. RECENT GRADUATES FROM LOCAL AND TOP SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION