Direct-hire vs dispatch ALT: what's the difference?

The difference is who employs you. In a dispatch job, a private company employs you and places you at schools under a contract with the Board of Education. In a direct-hire job, the Board of Education employs you directly, rather than through a company. Direct-hire roles are public-sector positions, usually posted as a fiscal-year appointed employee, with pay set by the municipality. The support also differs: a dispatch company helps you settle in, with things like housing and paperwork, while a direct-hire Board offers little beyond sponsoring your visa, so you relocate and run your daily life yourself. Dispatch jobs are easier to find and common for first-time ALTs; direct-hire jobs are fewer and expect some experience. Neither is simply better. Dispatch is an easier entry point, while direct-hire means more independence and a closer relationship with the employer.