Is it late in the recruiting season?

[teachingagain1945]

I'm contemplating leaving my present school after finishing a 2-year contract. I am a single elementary teacher. Are top schools a good way through or finished their hiring for 2016/17?

[Nomads]

For single elementary teachers, the recruiting season is just beginning and many top schools will not have even started looking at those positions.

[mamava]

It's not late, it's just beginning. The top tier schools (esp. in Asia) get a fast jump on things, true, but even they do hiring all through the major part of the season (November through maybe end of February). After that, things may get harder, but the forum is full of stories of people who have been hired all spring.

The tricky part now is that if you are going to register with Search or ISS it takes a certain amount of time to get all the paperwork they require ready before you are officially hooked up with them. Some of the big fairs may be full or almost full soon, too, so you need to take that into consideration with the timing. Good luck!

[PsyGuy]

Depending on the context I disagree with the previous contributors. It depends how you define "top school". Elite tier ISs have generally very low turnover, they can go a year and have no significant recruiting. Those ISs if they only have 1 or 2 vacancies which include a primary IT are already recruiting and likely nearing the point of making an appointment or provisional appointment, or they have a short list already.
If by "top school" you mean 1st tier or first and 2nd tier ISs they are still recruiting, and peak recruiting doesnt begin until January.

Getting the documentation for SA or ISS application traditionally takes some time, but it doesnt have to, and mainly depends on how fast your references will respond. The secondary issue has been providing payment and the review timetable of your associate. It is possible however to have the whole process completed in a few days or less.