Central Texas Schools Struggle To Hire Enough Teachers

If you have thought about a career in teaching, the state of Texas needs you! 

Texas Teacher Shortage 

Hiring 43,000 teachers may sound like a large number, but it is a 10% decrease from the previous year. Hiring a sufficient number of teachers in Texas has been a problem since the covid pandemic. Central Texas saw a 20% decrease in new teachers with only 1,600 new hires. 

Teacher Salaries in Texas 

House Bill 2 allotted 3.5 billion to teacher salaries. Teacher pay in Texas depends on two things: School size and teaching experience. School Districts are divided into two groups of over 5,000 students and 5,000 students or less. 

1. Over 5,000 students- Teachers with five or more years' experience receive a $5000 pay raise. Teachers with two to three years in the classroom receive a $2,500 pay raise. 

1. 5,000 students or less- Teachers with more than five years receive an $8,000 pay raise. Teachers with two to three years of experience receive a $4,000 raise. 

According to KWTX, lawmakers devised a plan that gave the smaller district teachers higher pay raises because larger have more funding. The end goal is to attract new teachers to smaller school systems. 

Certified Teachers 

In the past, hires were made based on qualification which meant a teacher did not have to be certified. According to KWTX, 55% of the teachers hired last year were uncertified, so lawmakers are trying to make the certification process easier to navigate.  

The Certification Process 

According to the Texas Education Agency website, there are five requirements to become a certified teacher. 

1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university. 

1. Complete an Educator Preparation Program  

1. Pass Certification Exams 

1. Submit a State Application  

1. Complete Fingerprinting