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November 18, 2024

10 Best Teacher Recruiting Firms for Schools

Amid intensifying teacher shortages, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for schools and districts to hire experienced, qualified teachers to provide the required high-quality services to their students. In an attempt to address this problem, many schools resort to working with specialized recruiting firms to fill their teacher vacancies.

This article ranks the 10 best teacher recruiting firms that offer quality services to both schools and teachers and match the best candidates to each available position. In our selection of companies, we focused on comprehensive services, result-driven strategies, diverse specialization options, and national market coverage.

The top 10 recruitment firms for teachers are:

  1. Fullmind
  2. Proximity Learning
  3. Elevate K-12
  4. Swing Education
  5. Imagine Learning
  6. Stride
  7. Tutored by Teachers
  8. Kelly Education
  9. Teachers on Call
  10. Educator’s Ally

To fill your teacher vacancies with highly qualified, state-certified instructors, check out Fullmind.

Why Schools Should Use Teacher Recruiting Firms

As the challenge of teacher shortages continues to expand across the US education system, schools and districts need specialized solutions to address this issue and supply their classrooms with qualified instructors. One strategy that has proven highly efficient in recent years is working with recruiting companies or agencies that specialize in searching for and hiring education staff.

The benefits of partnering with a professional teacher recruitment firm include:

  • Access to a wide network of qualified educators across the nation
  • Thorough search and recruitment processes
  • Time savings
  • Faster vacancy filling
  • No need for additional school staff to work on recruitment
  • Cost-efficient process
  • High retainment rate

All in all, working with a specialized agency when recruiting teachers is an efficient way to hire qualified professionals without wasting the precious time and effort of your already busy school staff.

How We Selected the Best Teacher Recruiting Firms

When choosing the top recruitment companies for schools and teachers, we focused on the following criteria:

  • Recruitment services: First and foremost, we looked for firms that provide end-to-end processes that ensure that only the right candidates get matched with each teaching position. We prioritized companies that allow for a hands-off approach for schools and districts so that they can focus on their main job of providing education services to students.
  • Position diversity: We looked for agencies that have the capacity to hire PreK-12 teachers in all core and elective subjects as well as special education teachers, multilingual teachers, and other education professionals such as school counselors, college advisors, and more.
  • Virtual and in-person staffing: We included both companies that provide virtual staffing services and such that recruit in-person teachers so that schools that choose their preferred method.
  • Timeline: We selected firms that do not require extensive time periods to recruit qualified teachers without compromising their competence and excellence.
  • Market coverage: We gave priority to companies that work across the US.
  • Cost: We took into consideration the fees that firms charge to ensure affordability for schools.
  • Value for money: Finally, we ranked the 10 firms that offer the best value for money when recruiting teachers for public and private schools.

Based on these criteria, the 10 best teacher recruiting firms are:

1. Fullmind

Fullmind is a top-ranked e-learning services provider that offers the best virtual staffing services to schools and districts nationwide for a quick, easy, and straightforward solution to teacher vacancies. The company was founded in 2012 and has its headquarters in New York, NY. Fullmind’s mission is for every child to have access to an exceptional education, and one of the ways in which the company delivers on this goal is by pairing top certified teachers with available positions at public and private schools.

Fullmind Services

Virtual staffing is one of the core services provided by Fullmind. The firm specializes in filling teacher openings with qualified, state-certified educators through customized solutions that can meet both short-term and long-term staffing needs. All virtual instruction is live and synchronous, which means that instructors deliver lessons and interact with students in real time, closely mimicking in-person instruction and its benefits.

All Fullmind educators are state-certified, and many hold additional qualifications and certifications. During recruitment, teachers go through a rigorous application process and background check to ensure compliance with Fullmind’s high standards and requirements. They undergo training in online teaching.

Fullmind can help recruit teachers for grades K-12, in all core subjects and many electives. Educators have the capacity to teach whole classes, small groups, and one-on-one. Specialized services, such as teaching homebound students, credit recovery, state test preparation, and suspension alternatives, are also available.

Fullmind virtual staffing can be used for both core instruction (K-12 credit-bearing courses) and supplemental instruction (individualized tutoring).

Fullmind educators get entirely immersed in the school community and school life for optimal results for students. This is achieved through real-time interactions with students, participation in staff meetings, and taking part in parent-teacher conferences.

Fullmind Terms

Fullmind review shows that the company provides teacher recruiting services to both schools and districts. All schools and districts qualify and can benefit from Fullmind services. Launch is easy and straightforward. Instructors are matched with available positions within two weeks, which means that Fullmind is able to fill even unexpected, last-minute vacancies to support a continuous education process for all students in the US.

Fullmind Markets

Fullmind operates as a teacher recruiting firm across the entire US, in all districts in all 50 states, with no exceptions. Meanwhile, all instructors are certified in the state where they teach.

Fullmind Fees and Costs

Fullmind recruitment fees are customized in line with the exact needs of each school or district. Interested institutions fill in an Order Form where they detail their staffing needs and requirements to get a custom quote. This ensures that fees are competitive and affordable for schools.

How to Get Started with Fullmind

To learn more about Fullmind recruiting services and fill your teacher positions with ease, simply fill in the contact form on the company website.

2. Proximity Learning

Proximity Learning is an online education platform that provides teacher recruiting among other services. The company was started in 2008 and is headquartered in Austin, TX. Their mission is to connect all learners with the expert teachers that they deserve, which is partially achieved by providing teachers to schools and districts.

Proximity Learning Services

As a teacher recruiting firm, Proximity Learning offers virtual K-12 instruction that follows the classic classroom model via synchronous teaching. In this way, the company helps districts fill open teacher positions with qualified, certified instructors.

Through virtual staffing, Proximity Learning supplies schools with access to teachers throughout the nation, which helps alleviate the problem of excessive teacher shortages in certain geographies and communities.

Proximity Learning teachers cover K-12 grade, core subjects, languages, electives, and AP courses. They are certified for the state that they teach, and many hold the National Virtual Teacher Certification. Instructors receive ongoing evaluations and feedback as well as professional training to ensure high-quality educational services.

Proximity Learning Terms

Proximity Learning works with both schools and districts to fill teacher vacancies. There are no specific terms, and all K-12 education institutions qualify.

Proximity Learning Markets

Proximity Learning offers state-certified teachers nationwide. Their services are most popular in Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kansas.

Proximity Learning Fees and Costs

The Proximity Learning website does not provide pricing information. The cost depends on the required services and the location.

How to Get Started with Proximity Learning

To get started with Proximity Learning, school and district representatives can submit a contact form via the company website.

3. Elevate K-12

Elevate K-12 is another popular teacher recruiting firm that specializes in virtual instruction to fill in teaching positions. The company was initiated in 2015 and has its headquarters in Chicago, IL. The firm aims to enable high-quality, live teaching for every learner in the US in order to provide them with the education they need to identify and pursue their unique passions in life.

Elevate K-12 Services

Via Tier 1 LIVE, Elevate K-12 helps schools and districts recruit for hard-to-fill roles as well as to expand into new course offerings. In specific, the firm provides qualified, certified live teachers who stream directly into the classroom.

Elevate K-12 teachers cover grades K-12 and more than 80 courses including core subjects, electives, and special education. Following best practices, teachers establish and follow a daily routine, deliver lessons, and conduct assessments.

The instructors recruited by Elevate K-12 are state-certified and have an average teaching experience of 13 years.

Elevate K-12 Terms

Elevate K-12 works hand-in-hand with schools and districts to define their specific staffing needs. A Regional Operations Manager is assigned to coordinate onboarding and implementation at the school level. The recruitment process takes more than two weeks.

Elevate K-12 Markets

Elevate K-12 teacher recruiting services are available in 46 US states, excluding Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Utah. The firm is most widely used in Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, New Jersey, and Louisiana.

Elevate K-12 Fees and Costs

Elevate K-12 does not offer general information about the cost of recruiting teachers with them. Interested schools and districts need to contact the firm to get a quote.

How to Get Started with Elevate K-12

To get started with Elevate K-12, schools or districts have to contact the company via their website.

4. Swing Education

Swing Education is a web-based platform that contributes to solving the teacher shortage problems across districts by connecting substitute teachers with K-12 schools. The firm was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. Swing Education’s goal is to connect reliable, high-quality substitute teachers with the schools and students that need them.

Swing Education Services

Swing Education operates as a teacher recruiting firm by allowing schools to use the platform to send requests for needed teachers and notify hundreds of qualified subs in the area. In this way, the company provides fast position fillings with classroom-ready teachers year-round to avoid unnecessary disruptions in the education process.

The teachers offered by Swing Education meet the requirements of each state where they work. When needed, they have a teaching certificate and a bachelor’s degree. All instructors are vetted and have a clean background check.

Swing Education services are available for all core subjects in grades K-12.

Swing Education Terms

Swing Education signs a one-year agreement with schools, and the agreement gets automatically renewed unless the client sends a 30-day written termination notice. Onboarding takes a few weeks. Schools can use the platform directly to find qualified teachers to fill their vacancies.

Swing Education Markets

A main limitation of Swing Education teacher recruiting is that the firm covers only  seven states including:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Illinois
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Washington, DC

Swing Education Fees and Costs

Swing Education does not display pricing information on the company website. Third-party sources point at hourly rates starting at $25.40 and daily rates of $147-$167.

How to Get Started with Swing Education

To get started with Swing Education, education institutions should contact the team via the company website.

5. Imagine Learning

Imagine Learning is a digital education platform that helps address the teacher shortage problem in the US. The firm was founded in 2012 and has its headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ. The company aims to empower educators to inspire breakthrough moments in every student’s unique learning journey.

Imagine Learning Services

Imagine Learning provides teachers for online instructional services for entire classes as well as for tutoring and intervention services and specialized services for individual students. Schools can take advantage of the instructional services to fill in staffing gaps, take in new students, and expand the course offering.

Imagine Learning teachers offer instruction in core subjects, world languages, AP classes, and national test prep. Applicable grades include K-12. Teaching services are divided into K-5 and 6-12 instruction to ensure alignment with the needs and requirements of each group of students.

Imagine Learning instructors are state-certified and have an average teaching experience of 17 years. In addition, they are trained in online education, student and family support, trauma-informed teaching, and cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Imagine Learning Terms

All schools and districts can use Imagine Learning as their teacher recruiting firm. There are no restrictions or limitations.

Imagine Learning Markets

Imagine Learning can supply certified teachers nationally. At the moment, the firm works in over 50% of school districts. Their services are most popular in Texas, California, Illinois, Florida, and Washington.

Imagine Learning Fees and Costs

Imagine Learning does not specify how much it charges to fill teacher vacancies. Interested institutions need to get in touch and ask for a quote.

How to Get Started with Imagine Learning

To get started with Imagine Learning, school or district representatives have to submit an online form available on the company website.

6. Stride

Stride is an online and blended learning services company that serves as an umbrella for a number of education-related firms and that offers solutions to teacher vacancies, among other challenges in the education system. The company was established in 2000 and is headquartered in Herndon, VA. The mission of the firm is to help learners of all ages reach their full potential through inspired teaching and personalized learning.

Stride Services

As a teacher recruitment firm, Stride offers on-demand virtual staffing to alleviate teacher shortages across the country. Schools and districts can immediately fill short-term gaps in addition to accessing long-term virtual instructors.

Stride provides fully synchronous, completely asynchronous, and in-between teaching services. Moreover, both virtual and in-person instructions are available.

Stride teachers are state- and content-certified and have extensive online teaching strategy training. They hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with many having a master’s degree and some even boasting a doctorate degree. Stride instructors can cover various subjects for K-12 grades. 

Stride Terms

Stride does not impose any specific terms and conditions when recruiting teachers, and services are available to all schools and districts.

Stride Markets

Stride has available teachers in all 50 US states. The most popular locations where the firm is used include Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Texas.

Stride Fees and Costs

The Stride website does not disclose information about the price of teacher recruiting services.

How to Get Started with Stride

To get started with Stride, schools and districts can contact the team through the company website.

7. Tutored by Teachers

Tutored by Teachers (TbT) is yet another e-learning platform that contributes to mitigating the teacher shortages problem via interim vacancy support. The firm was launched in 2020 and has its headquarters in New York, NY. The company mission is to close the opportunity gap by serving high-need students with personalized virtual instruction.

Tutored by Teachers Services

One of the main services offered by Tutored by Teachers is vacancy support. The firm provides certified teachers for differentiated instruction that follows each school’s and district’s curriculum as an interim solution to teacher vacancies.

TbT virtual instruction is available for all grades K-12. However, a major drawback is that it only covers math and ELA, while other subjects are not offered.

All Tutored by Teachers instructors are US-credentialed in math or ELA and have an average classroom experience of 12 years. About two-thirds of them hold a graduate degree. The firm performs continuous monitoring of teachers to ensure high-quality education processes.

Tutored by Teachers Terms

TbT works with different schools and districts. There are no specific terms and conditions that need to be taken into consideration.

Tutored by Teachers Markets

Tutored by Teachers operates across the US market, serving school districts and charter schools. The main locations for the firm include New Mexico, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Georgia.

Tutored by Teachers Fees and Costs

The TbT website does not provide information about the cost of recruiting teachers, so interested education institutions need to get in touch and ask for a quote.

How to Get Started with Tutored by Teachers

To get started with Tutored by Teachers, schools and districts can fill in an online contact form available on the company website.

8. Kelly Education

Kelly Education, part of Kelly Services, is a teacher recruiting firm that helps hire education staff throughout the US. The company was founded in 1997, which makes it one of the oldest players in the field, and has its headquarters in Troy, MI. The mission of Kelly Education is to be a valued partner for education organizations across the nation.

Kelly Education Services

One of the core services provided by Kelly Education is recruiting and hiring in addition to employee retention, workforce management, and HR administration for education institutions. Within recruiting and hiring, the firm works on filling both short-term and long-term vacancies.

The targeted recruiting encompasses sourcing, attracting talent, vetting, screening, accreditation, onboarding, orientation, and training to reach optimal results, recruit qualified professionals, and achieve long-term retention. In the recruitment process, Kelly Education emphasizes candidates’ desire to see students succeed, passion to help students build skills, and ambition to grow personally and professionally.

Kelly Education has the capacity to recruit and hire substitute teachers, paraeducators, tutors, and support staff for K-12 grade.

Kelly Education Terms

Kelly Education puts effort into learning about the specific needs of each school and district in order to hire the right match for their staffing requirements. Interested institutions can contact the firm to ask about the terms and conditions in more detail.

Kelly Education Markets

Kelly Education operates in 46 US states excluding Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Washington, which are covered by their company Teachers On Call, discussed next. Some major markets for Kelly Education include New York, Indiana, Maryland, South Carolina, and Alabama.

Kelly Education Fees and Costs

Kelly Education does not disclose the cost of their teacher recruiting and hiring services. However, they generally help schools save on costs by managing their teacher substitution programs on their behalf.

How to Get Started with Kelly Education

To get started with Kelly Education, school and district representatives should submit an online form to request a consultation.

9. Teachers On Call

Teachers On Call, a Kelly Education company, is a substitute staffing service that hires teachers and other education professionals. The firm was established in 1999, with headquarters in Bloomington, MN, and was acquired by Kelly Education in 2017. Teachers On Call is dedicated to improving the educational staffing process by recruiting caring, motivated, and trained educators that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Teachers On Call Services

As one of the best teacher recruiting firms in the US market, Teachers On Call supports schools and school districts in filling their classrooms with quality, dependable educators. This allows schools to find both short-term and long-term substitutes to prevent disruptions to student learning in case of teacher absences or vacancies.

Teachers On Call works with early education centers, K-12 schools, and school districts. The firm can hire teachers, paraprofessionals, educational assistants, aides, custodians, and food service providers.

Teachers On Call employs a targeted recruiting strategy to identify, qualify, hire, train, and assign teachers to the classrooms. The company manages background checks, license verifications, tax filings, compensation, and unemployment claims to relieve schools and districts from the administrative work associated with recruiting and managing teachers.

Teachers On Call Terms

When hiring staff, Teachers On Call handles the payroll to reduce the administrative load on partner institutions. In case of teacher absences, the school can enter the absence online via the platform, choose preferred substitutes, and control who teaches their classes. School staff approves timecards and provides feedback in addition to handling weekly payments.

Teachers On Call Markets

Teachers On Call works with over 750 school districts, charter schools, and early education centers in four US states including:

  • Minnesota
  • Wisconsin
  • Iowa
  • Washington

In other words, Teachers On Call covers the markets that are left outside the Kelly Education scope of work.

Importantly, the company works with schools in all geographies within these four states and of all sizes. About a quarter of their partner districts have fewer than 1,000 students, and about two-thirds of them are rural.

Teachers On Call Fees and Costs

The pricing structure of Teachers On Call recruiting services is not disclosed. Fees are generally aligned with local rates. Schools and districts make payments on a weekly basis.

How to Get Started with Teachers On Call

To get started with Teachers On Call, education institutions can fill in a contact form on the company website.

10. Educator’s Ally

Our list of the top teacher recruiting firms concludes with Educator’s Ally, a company that specializes in representing and recruiting for day and boarding schools across the US. The firm was established in 1975, which shows its long traditions in the teacher recruitment space, and is headquartered in New York, NY. Educator’s Ally takes on a thoughtful, measured, and respectful approach that treats both school administrators and candidates as individuals and not as assets in their database.

Educator’s Ally Services

Educator’s Ally recruits teachers and other education staff for independent (private) day and boarding schools and charter schools in specific. They can provide immediate/short-term hires in addition to filling in long-term positions. As part of the hiring process, the team takes time to learn about each school’s culture and programs in order to refer the best possible candidates.

Educator’s Ally works on bringing together a curated pool of candidates that match the needs of partner schools. Hires go through a robust vetting process and only those with experiences and values that align perfectly with the job description and the school mission get referred. Moreover, the firm offers onboarding.

Educator’s Ally can hire K-12 teachers in all core and many elective subjects as well as senior administrators and other non-teaching positions, such as administrative assistants, business managers, development staffing, school counselors, school psychologists, and others.

Educator’s Ally Terms

Partner schools can post teacher job positions directly on the EA Connect platform. Non-partner schools need to submit an online form with information about the school and the available vacancy.

Educator’s Ally Markets

Educator’s Ally recruiting services are available throughout the US.

Educator’s Ally Fees and Costs

Educator’s Ally does not specify the pricing structure for recruiting teachers and other education professionals. However, fees are likely to be higher than the rates charged by other recruiting firms as the company focuses on working with independent schools which have larger budgets.

How to Get Started with Educator’s Ally

To get started with Educator’s Ally, independent school representatives can get in touch via the online form available on the website to become a partner.

Bottom Line

These are the 10 best teacher recruiting firms in the US market. While working with a specialized company can help you save time and money when hiring teachers and other education professionals, it’s important to choose a firm that is ready to understand and meet your specific needs to allow you to continue providing high-quality education to your students.

Fullmind helps you fill teacher vacancies in less than two weeks with state-certified, highly qualified instructors trained in online teaching. This applies to teaching positions in all subjects and all K-12 grades. Get in touch to discuss your needs and find the best candidates for your positions.