More than 1,000 teachers needed for metro Atlanta schools ahead of first day

May 5,  2017 - Atlanta - With the help of a little music from La La Land, Ron Clark teaches his 5th-grade math class at the Atlanta academy that bears his name. Eccentric teaching methods have paid off at Ron Clark Academy, where teacher shortages are less common, if not unheard of. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

May 5, 2017 - Atlanta - With the help of a little music from La La Land, Ron Clark teaches his 5th-grade math class at the Atlanta academy that bears his name. Eccentric teaching methods have paid off at Ron Clark Academy, where teacher shortages are less common, if not unheard of. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

With the 2017-2018 school year beginning at the end of the month for some metro Atlanta school districts, hiring managers say they've ramped up recruiting efforts to begin the year with little to no vacancies.

In mid-June, metro Atlanta school districts needed to hire about 1,400 teachers before the school year began. The DeKalb County School District led that list with 438 vacancies, followed by Clayton County Schools with about 300.

Atlanta Public Schools touted an aggressive recruiting process that began in the winter as helping to lower the number of their teacher openings more than 50 percent to 123, down from 278 at the same time last year.

In other Education news: