If They Come Here, Will They Fit? A Case Study of an Urban No-Excuses Charter Management Organization’s Teacher Hiring Process

Abstract

This case study of one “no-excuses” charter management organization (CMO) uses teacher surveys and interviews with principals, central office staff, and teachers to examine how a realistic job preview is enacted during the hiring process, and how newly hired teachers perceive their fit with the job and the organization before and after starting the position. Findings show a strong emphasis on honestly and clearly communicating expectations during the hiring process. Consequently, teachers’ perceptions of the job and the organization were initially high at the time of hire. However, these perceptions decreased most significantly in views of student discipline, a key contextual feature of the no-excuses model.