Lance Evans, Mississippi Superintendent of Education | Mississippi Department of Education
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has launched a redesigned version of its teacher recruitment website, TeachMS.org. The updated site aims to promote the teaching profession in Mississippi and simplifies the steps required for teacher preparation and licensure.
According to the MDE, individuals interested in becoming teachers are encouraged to visit TeachMS.org for guidance on starting their careers. The site features a quiz designed to help users identify which licensure pathway aligns with their backgrounds. Additional resources include an interactive salary schedule and access to job listings through the new Mississippi Educator Career Continuum Archive (MECCA) Talent Portal. The website also provides information about teaching incentives in Mississippi and notes that the state ranks second nationally for affordability.
The Office of Teaching and Leading (OTL) at MDE is responsible for recruiting and retaining quality teachers across the state. OTL initially launched TeachMS.org in 2019 and has continued to update it as part of broader efforts to address educator shortages. Since the 2021-22 school year, OTL’s Educator Talent Acquisition Division has conducted annual surveys among teachers and school districts to evaluate teacher retention rates and identify areas experiencing shortages.
In addition, OTL is working on reducing barriers for prospective educators by expanding access to alternate-route preparation programs and introducing innovative approaches such as Performance-Based Licensure and the Mississippi Teacher Residency program. The newly redesigned TeachMS.org website serves as a tool within these ongoing initiatives.
"The website includes a quiz to help potential teachers find the licensure pathway that fits their background, an interactive salary schedule, and links to job listings in the new Mississippi Educator Career Continuum Archive (MECCA) Talent Portal. It also includes highlights about the benefits of teaching in Mississippi, including incentives for teachers and the state’s No. 2 national ranking for affordability," according to MDE.