Austin ISD looks to recruit teachers as it faces more vacancies than normal

More classroom teacher positions in Austin Independent School district are vacant as of Nov. 16 than were last year during the same time, according to a report presented to the AISD Board of Trustees Nov. 18.

As of Nov. 16, 126 teacher positions were open. Long-term substitute teachers are filling 33 of those positions. Most of the remaining vacancies are being temporarily filled by rotating substitutes, teachers who receive stipend pay for covering a class during their normally free period or by teachers who have given their notice but are still working.

“We all know that in AISD we’re not doing as well with retention when you compare AISD with the state,” Trustee Arati Singh said. “We have a lot more first year teachers than the state average.”

Singh said that, when the district has a healthier budget, she would like to see more focus on retaining experienced teachers through higher salaries.

The district is drawing on several sources for new teachers and considering retention strategies, said Brandi Hosack, assistant superintendent of human capital for the district, during the meeting.

To address recruitment, AISD is reimbursing some teachers for alternative certification fees if they are certified in ESL or if they come from a diverse background, Hosack said.

To attract more Black male teachers, the district is parenting with Huston-Tillotson University to offer more Black men teaching jobs in the district. AISD is also offering $19,000 scholarships to six paraprofessionals in the district so they can get bachelor’s degrees to teach, Hosack said.

The district is also recruiting international teachers, mainly to teach in bilingual classes, through a partner program in Spain and through the Austin-based foreign exchange students organization Alliance Abroad.