Status of Education Openings in Kansas

There are currently 1,029 teaching and administration positions open across the state on the Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB). This number reflects openings for 90% of districts in the state as of April 3rd. The graph below identifies the number of positions open in particular areas.



Special Education Related Services reflects positions in speech/language pathology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, school psychologist, and social workers.

Update on KEEB Statistics

We continue to monitor the use and success of the new Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB) as we look for ways to improve the service for both school districts and applicants. As of March, we have seen tremendous growth in visitors to KEEB and unique applications for positions. Below is a chart of monthly visitors comparing first time visitors to returning visitors. As you can see we have had a steady incline since December.



In addition, the number of individual applications submitted to job openings has doubled since December. An individual application is an application submitted for a specific job opening by a potential candidate. As the number of job openings posted have increased, so has the number of applications submitted.



These applications have resulted in 291 openings being filled to-date.



So far the data suggests we are on the right track. With over 965 openings in the state being advertised today, we will continue to focus on increasing traffic to these job openings, while providing the tools employers need to recruit and hire quality candidates.

2008 KEEB Statistics To Date

KEEB continues to experience excellent growth since the new year began. 80% of districts in the state now have an account and approximately 200 jobs have been filled to-date. There are currently 770 jobs open today with a projected 3600 applications submitted this month. As you can see from the graph below there has continued to be a rise in the number of unique applications submitted for these positions.

We also are experiencing a continued increase in traffic with 79,000 visitors last month and currently projecting 90,000 visitors this month. We will continue to update this data as positions are filled and new jobs are added.

New Design to the KEEB Employer Account Page

We continue to modify and improve the Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB) to meet both the needs of both the job seekers and employers. Based on feedback from a number of districts we have modified the employer account page slightly to increase it's usability. Below is a screenshot of the new My Account page for Employers.



When you login as an employer, you will now see a list of positions you have stored in KEEB under the Current Job Postings heading. The white column in your list of jobs contains information on how many applications have been received. To view those applications you just click on the (#) applied link.

You will also notice periodic messages in red font notifying you of changes and suggestions for using KEEB. In addition, by clicking on the RSS: Statewide Kansas Applicants you can view the latest applications added to KEEB by job seekers. These are not unique to your district or school, but are another tool you can use to locate potential candidates. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the new revisions.

New Featured Employer on Homepage

The Kansas Education Employment Board is now highlighting schools and districts with employer profiles on the homepage. KEEB randomly selects employers with completed profiles and shares information from their employer description, as well as, links to their complete profile and current job openings.

To ensure that your district is included in this new feature include information about your district and community in your employer description. If you would like to edit your employer description, login to www.kansasteachingjobs.com and click on Edit Profile.

Kansas Jobs Feeding to National Online Job Database

All jobs posted on the Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB) are now being fed directly to Simply Hired, a national database of jobs with approximately 2 million visitors a day. This allows school districts to advertise on additional websites without creating numerous job postings. Just post your job on KEEB and we'll do the work for you! The image above is the latest search results on Simply Hired for special education positions in Kansas. Stay tuned for news in the coming weeks related to additional feeds we are developing for other national websites.

Screenshot Tips and Tricks on KEEB

Navigating the Employer Account, originally uploaded by Teaching in Kansas.

We continue to work on phase II features for the Kansas Education Employment Board. Many of these features are behind the scenes work to increase traffic to the website, such as the partnership with hirekansastalent.com. In conjunction with the behind the scenes work we continuing to work at making the website as user friendly as possible. In an effort to help new users we are adding screenshots with tips to the Help Page. Above is just an example of what users will be able to access as they become familiar with the tools and features of the website. This new resource is intended to ensure that districts are utilizing each feature to the best of their ability in their retention efforts.

Update on Kansas Recruitment and Retention Program

The Kansas Recruitment and Retention Program is continuing to move forward with recruitment and retention supports for districts and special education cooperatives across the state. To date 983 applications have been received for the 428 jobs posted since September. In December, 297 applications have already been submitted for open positions, reflecting an significant increase in job applications. November traffic was the best to date with 36,000 visitors, even with a slow down during the Thanksgiving break.

Beyond the recruitment program, attention has now been turned to the retention program and the early career educator learning portal. New learning modules are in the works, as well as resources specifically for administrators. The months of December and January will involve significant development time for "How to Guides for Administrators". This new section will focus on providing resources to schools and districts in the areas of:

• Induction/Orientation Programs
• Mentoring and Coaching
• Recruiting
• Working Conditions
• Establishing Learning Communities

Information will be available on each of these sections at the January United School Administrators (USA) Conference. You can also view these resources as they are developed by visiting the learning portal at http://moodle.greenbush.us/

Partnership with University Career Services

Many of you who participated in career fairs across the state at higher education institutions this fall may be familiar with a new job board in the state, Hire Kansas Talent. This website is a collaborative effort between Kansas State University, University of Kansas, Fort Hays, Pittsburg, State, Emporia, Washburn, and Wichita State to provide one-stop location to advertise job openings to college students and recent graduates.


KEEB is in the process of developing a partnership with the participating universities to share job information with them from kansasteachingjobs.com. This will allow any job posted on KEEB to be subsequently posted on hirekansastalent.com. We hope this effort will extend the reach of school districts job openings, while reducing district's workload to reach a broader audience. This partnership addresses one of KEEB's goals of establishing a larger teacher pool and increased advertising of job openings. We will keep you updated as this partnership moves forward.

New Resource for Becoming a Kansas Teacher

The Teacher Education and Licensure Division at KSDE has teamed up with KEEB to provide information for job seekers on Kansas teaching licenses. This information provides step-by-step directions for individuals who are interested in obtaining a Kansas teaching license. Job seekers can select which area sounds most like them, whether they are licensed in another state, just beginning college, are a current college student, or are interested in a new career. The image above provides an example of the kind of information career changers can find on the new webpage. In addition to directions, the resource provides links to all the necessary information you may need, from license applications, locating teacher prep programs to finding scholarship opportunities. This resource is intended for job seekers as well as a resource for school districts and special education cooperatives as they assist their new teachers and staff through the licensure process. To view the new resource visit www.kansasteachingjobs.com and click on Become a Teacher in the KEEB Main Menu.

Linking Your District to KEEB

Silver Lake School District is the first to link directly to KEEB on their district website with the new KEEB logo. Checkout how they include the logo on their homepage to direct potential candidates to KEEB. Candidates can click on the link to view open positions and submit an application. If you would like to add the KEEB logo to your district or HR website email me at kylie.stewart@greenbush.org.

Locating Qualified Candidates: New Applicant Search Tool

Beyond posting job announcements, the redesign Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB) now allows registered employers to search for candidates. You can conduct a search by either key word and/or endorsement to locate individuals interested in teaching in Kansas. To use the search tool, login to www.kansasteachingjobs.com or Sign Up for an employer account under Employers in the KEEB Main Menu. Once you are logged in, click on "Search Applicants" in the KEEB Main Menu. You will then see a list of applicants including their contact information and their endorsement(s). To view their full application click on the magnifying glass. You can now view the applicants qualifications, download any attachments they may have included (i.e. cover letter), and print a copy for your file.

Developing a Quality Job Announcement

The new job announcement format was included in the new KEEB based on specific feedback from both district personnel and applicants. The new format allows districts to provide detailed information about the job opening. By providing this type of information and adhering to the format, applicants do not have to contact districts for more information and can make an informed decision about whether they would be interested in the position. We are already noticing an increase in traffic and applications to positions announcements that are utilizing each of these areas. Below are a few examples of questions to keep in mind as you develop your job announcement and a few examples of exemplary postings. Feel free to contact me if you would like assistance in developing your job announcement.

• Job Title
  
• What is this position called?
  
• What would my job title be?
  
• Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
  
• 5th Grade Elementary Teacher
• Job Description
  
• What will my primary job responsibilities be?
  
• What age group will I be working with?
  
• What district school building is this position in?
  
• How many students will I be serving?
  
• To provide Early Childhood Special Education services to children ages 3-5 with developmental delays or disabilities and their families through an inter agency, home, and community based service delivery model, and to ensure that the education needs of the child are addressed.
• Salary
  
• What is the starting salary?
  
• What is the length of the contract?
  
• Will the district recognize my years of experience?
  
• 2007-2008 base salary is $32,300. Teacher salary schedule, 192 day contract
• 33,000 base, full credit for years of service
• Bonus
  
• Does your district provide a signing bonus?
  
• Are there programs for tuition reimbursement?
  
• No signing bonus or $1000 signing bonus for high need position
• 50% tuition reimbursement for approved coursework while under contract. Will consider regular education certified teacher working on special education certification.
• Licensed employees eligible for $3,000 one-time bonus for earning masters degree.
• Benefits
  
• What kind of benefits are available to district employees?
  
• Does the district offer vision and dental insurance?
  
• Can I insure my family?
  
• District-paid health benefit pays 95% of single policy, 50% of family policy. Flexible Benefit Plan components may be selected for pre-tax deduction. Allowance of 12 days' absence each year for personal use or illness, which can be accumulated.
• Opportunities for professional development offering both inservice points and college credit available on site.
• Are benefits paid?
  
• Does the district pay for a portion of the benefits? Yes or No

KEEB Training Dates

Training sessions are now available to school district personnel interested in using the new KEEB to advertise positions and locate qualified candidates. Below are the training dates. If you are interested in attending please email the session number along with your contact information to me at kylie.stewart@greenbush.org or call (620) 724-6281. If you are unable to attend a training date remember that you can download help files by clicking on HELP in the upper right hand corner of the new KEEB website. Also, I am always glad to answer a question via email or phone.

KEEB TRAINING SESSIONS:

• SESSION #1: September 24th, 10:00 – 12:00 or 1:00 – 3:00, Greenbush, Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, 947 W. 47 HWY, Girard, KS
• SESSION #2: September 27th, 1:00 – 3:00, Indian Creek Technology Center, Shawnee Mission School District, 4401 W. 103rd Street, Overland Park, KS
• SESSION #3: October 1st, 12:00 – 2:00, Sedgwick County Area Educational Services Cooperative, 620 Industrial, Goddard, KS
• SESSION #4: October 2nd, 10:00 – 12:00, Garden City School District, 1205 Fleming Road, Garden City, KS
• SESSION #5: October 3rd, 1:00 – 3:00, Clay Center Community High School, 1630 9th St., Clay Center, KS

KEEB Weekend Users Were Busy

The weekend was a busy one for the new Kansas Education Employment Board. There were 442 visitors on Saturday and 472 visitors on Sunday. Applicants are beginning to complete and post applications that are searchable by districts, so if you have a position open make sure you visit the KEEB website to locate and search the applicants!

KEEB is Live!

As many of you know we were set to launch the newly designed Kansas Education Employment Board on Monday, September 17th. We were ready early and started the process today! Most of you will see the new site by tomorrow morning when you visit www.kansasteachingjobs.com. In some locations across the state and the country the new site is already available (this is dependent on your internet service provider). The site became live today at 1:00 p.m. and as of 3:30 this afternoon we have had:

150 visitors, from Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Colorado, Virginia, Arizona, Michigan, Arkansas, and Connecticut

and

923 page views!


This is a good start to increasing the recruitment effort here in the state and I encourage you to visit the new site tomorrow. There appears to be a number of applicants still looking for positions, so if you have an opening you may want to take a look at the Applicant Search tool in the KEEB Main Menu.

Teach in Kansas Commercial

Watch the video below highlighting Kansas schools, educators, and administrators that will be used on the new Kansas Education Employment Board to educate future teachers on the benefits of a career in education in Kansas.

Launch of the New Kansas Education Employment Board

Click on the play button below to listen to a introduction to the Kansas Education Employment Board set to launch across the state of Kansas on September 17th.

Receiving RSS Feeds on a Mobile Device

The redesign KEEB now provides RSS Feeds of both job postings to job seekers and applicant resumes to employers. RSS Feeds can be received either at your computer via an rss reader such as Google, Yahoo, or Net Vibes, or on your mobile device such as a cell phone or ipod. You can preview what a KEEB RSS feed would look like on a cell phone on the image to the right.

To add an RSS feed to your mobile device you can use free services such as Plusmo to subscribe to KEEB content and view it on your device. It is as easy as subscribing to the feed and selecting the type of phone you have. Mobile devices which receive RSS feeds are not limited to PDA type phones, but any cell phone that accepts Java. Visit http://plusmo.com/ to learn more about how to use this technology and see a complete list of compatible phones.

Old KEEB vs. New KEEB for Employers

As we prepare to launch the new Kansas Education Employment Board (KEEB) we will be providing districts, schools, and agencies in Kansas, that utilize KEEB to hire employees, with information on the redesign. Above is a comparison of the old KEEB vs. the new KEEB for employers.