The literature on teacher hiring and assignment tends to omit definitions of these key terms. An exception in Cohen-Vogel and Osborne-Lampkin (277), who define teacher assignment as "the reciprocal process between school management and teachers to guide decisions about who will teach, where they will teach, and what they will teach." But the definition of teacher assignment is seen by scholars as not straightforward (Ingersoll, 1996). In some cases, the terms "hiring," "selection," "placement," and "assignment," are sometimes used interchangeably. Implementing effective hiring and placement practices helps all schools and districts but is particularly important for those that are at risk. This paper presents strategies for implementing effective hiring, placement, and assignment practices.