(GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga.) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that GCPS is broadening their horizons in their search for qualified, skilled multilingual teachers. This comes as Gwinnett County’s share of second-language English speakers grows, necessitating more support from education faculty.

Two staffers, Beaver Ridge Elementary’s Principal Martina Luna-Liranzo and Diversity Recruiter Rod Johnson, made the trip down to Puerto Rico this month to meet with administration at education colleges with hopes of drawing them to Gwinnett County.

Gwinnett County Public Schools is the largest school system in the state, with Cobb County and DeKalb County Public Schools #2 and #3. All are diverse, rapidly growing localities with dozens of different languages spoken at home.

The first phase of the project will target the Berkmar, Meadowcreek, and Norcross school clusters, all of which have particularly high rates of first-language Spanish speakers in their student bodies.

Gwinnett County chief human resources officer Cathy Hardin said that the district hopes to boost hiring numbers with an event planned for September. The most ambitious plans have Puerto Rican

Board Chair Tarece Johnson lauded Gwinnett’s effort. “We have a large population of multilingual learners, and there is a gap related to meeting their needs,” Johnson told the AJC. “The intentional recruitment to get teachers who can get to those needs — I want to uplift and thank you all for that.”

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