For more than three decades, I had the privilege of serving public education in nearly every leadership capacity—from classroom teacher and principal to district administrator, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools. Those experiences afforded me a front-row seat to both the tremendous successes and the significant challenges facing public education.
One challenge has grown more complex than I ever imagined: ensuring that every student has access to a highly qualified, certified teacher.
When I began my career, staffing challenges certainly existed, but they were typically isolated to specialized positions such as special education, bilingual education, mathematics, science, and world languages. Today, however, school districts across the country are experiencing shortages in virtually every instructional area. Superintendents are making difficult decisions daily, balancing the immediate need to keep classrooms staffed while preserving the quality of instruction students deserve.
As educational leaders, we often remind ourselves that every decision should begin with one question:
“What is in the best interest of students?”
That question should guide staffing decisions as much as it guides curriculum, budgeting, facilities, or school safety.
Throughout my career, I learned that effective leaders must adapt to changing circumstances.
The educator shortage has required districts to think creatively and embrace staffing solutions that would have been uncommon just a decade ago. There are innovative organizations that have helped districts address vacancies through virtual instruction, particularly in hard-to-fill subject areas. Their work has enabled many schools to continue providing instruction when local recruitment efforts came up short.
These partnerships have served an important purpose.
However, after spending more than thirty years working directly with students, teachers, principals, and families, I also recognize something that cannot be overlooked.
Whenever possible, students benefit most from learning alongside a certified educator who is physically present in the classroom.
There is tremendous value in face-to-face instruction.
An in-person educator notices the student who quietly withdraws from classmates.
They recognize subtle changes in behavior.
They build trusting relationships with families.
They collaborate naturally with grade-level teams and support staff.
They celebrate victories, provide encouragement after setbacks, and become trusted adults in students’ lives.
Education has always been about relationships. Great teaching simply begins there.
Since retiring from the superintendency and launching my educational consulting practice, I have had the opportunity to learn about innovative organizations working to support school districts in new ways.
One organization that immediately captured my attention was Kreyco.
What distinguishes Kreyco is its commitment to helping districts secure certified, in-person educators who become active members of the school community. Rather than viewing staffing as simply filling vacancies, Kreyco recognizes that every classroom deserves a qualified professional capable of building relationships, supporting colleagues, and contributing to a positive school culture.
As I became more familiar with their approach, I found myself reflecting on my own years as superintendent.
Quite honestly, I wish I had known about Kreyco during my tenure.
There were times when my administrative team exhausted every available resource searching for qualified candidates. We partnered with universities, expanded recruiting efforts, attended job fairs, offered incentives, and explored multiple staffing options. Like many districts, we occasionally turned to third-party providers because ensuring students had access to instruction remained our highest priority.
Had I known an organization existed that focused specifically on placing certified educators in classrooms in person, I would have welcomed the opportunity to explore that partnership.
That realization is what ultimately led me to become involved with Kreyco today.
Too often, discussions about staffing center on numbers.
How many vacancies remain?
How quickly can positions be filled?
How much will it cost?
While those questions certainly matter, I believe educational leaders must also ask another.
Who will stand before our students every day?
The answer to that question influences nearly every aspect of a school’s success.
Effective teachers improve academic achievement.
They strengthen school culture.
They reduce stress for existing staff members.
They build confidence among parents.
Most importantly, they help children believe in themselves.
The impact of one outstanding educator extends far beyond a single classroom.
The staffing challenges facing public education will not disappear overnight.
Districts must continue developing innovative recruitment strategies while building strong partnerships that prioritize instructional quality.
Technology will undoubtedly remain an important part of education’s future.
Virtual learning will continue serving valuable purposes.
Alternative staffing models will evolve.
Yet one truth remains unchanged.
Students deserve meaningful relationships with highly qualified educators who are present, engaged, and invested in their success.
As a former educational executive, I understand the weight of every hiring decision. I know the sleepless nights, the difficult conversations, and the responsibility leaders carry when staffing shortages threaten the educational experience of children.
That is why I believe we must continue seeking partners who understand not only recruitment—but education itself.
When staffing solutions place certified professionals directly into our schools, everyone benefits.
Students receive stronger instruction.
Teachers gain valued colleagues.
Principals strengthen their buildings.
Districts preserve continuity.
Communities build greater confidence in their schools.
Those outcomes are worth pursuing.
Because at the end of every staffing conversation, every budget discussion, and every leadership decision is one undeniable truth:
Every child deserves an outstanding teacher standing in front of them every single day.
About the Author
Dr. Duane R. Meighan is the Founder and Principal Consultant of The Main Learning Focus LLC and serves as a Brand Ambassador for Kreyco. A retired educational executive with more than 30 years of experience, he has served as a teacher, principal, district administrator, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools in Illinois. Today, he partners with school districts across the Midwest on strategic planning, leadership development, staffing solutions, facilities modernization, educational technology, and school improvement initiatives.
Dr. Duane R. Meighan is the Founder and Principal Consultant of The Main Learning Focus LLC and serves as a Brand Ambassador for Kreyco. A retired educational executive with more than 30 years of experience, he has served as a teacher, principal, district administrator, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools in Illinois. Today, he partners with school districts across the Midwest on strategic planning, leadership development, staffing solutions, facilities modernization, educational technology, and school improvement initiatives.
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