Duval schools review 32 India teacher prospects

By CYNTHIA L. GARZA
The Times-Union
Nov. 26, 2003

The Duval County school system is reviewing a short list of 32 teachers from India from which it might hire to fill high-need science and math positions.

Superintendent John Fryer's chief of staff, Nancy Snyder, traveled to New Delhi, India, two weeks ago, according to First Coast News, the Times-Union's news partner. Snyder interviewed nearly 90 teachers who were interested in relocating to the United States while on the trip, which was through the Houston-based company USA Employment.

The company covers all costs and expenses of the trip -- including airfare and accommodations -- at no cost to the school system, which provides USA Employment with a "good-faith estimate" of how many vacancies it would like to fill through the program.

Former Superintendent Larry Zenke also went on the trip as a working consultant for the company.

All of the interviews were taped and will be reviewed by school officials before any decision was made on hiring. Vicki Reynolds, assistant superintendent for human resource services, said it could take a few weeks to several months before any decision is reached.

School officials are including the applicants as part of the regular hiring pool for school principals to use when considering filling vacancies for the fall or even for next semester.

Snyder said the decision to send a Duval County school official to India to recruit was the result of the inability to fill rigorous areas of math and science with appropriately qualified candidates.