FISD had 1,277 resignations in the 2023-24 school year resulting in an attrition rate of 14.2%—an improvement from last year’s rate of 14.7%, according to a presentation from Chief Human Resources Officer Pamela Linton during an Oct. 15 board meeting.
“We are recruiting and retaining all year long,” Linton said.
Diving in deeper
Teachers made up 49% of those who left the district last year with 630 resignations.
FISD saw the highest attrition in its auxiliary department with 493 resignations resulting in a 19.4% attrition rate. This is a slight increase from last year’s rate of 19.1%, Linton said.
She explained retaining auxiliary positions such as transportation, child nutrition and custodial can be a challenge.
Sorting out details
Teacher’s substitute requests were filled at a rate of 97% last school year. This is an improvement from 2022-23’s rate of 88%.
The district had 92,241 total substitute requests last year with an average of 517 requests per day.
Substitutes are one avenue for the district to hire new staff. Last year, the district hired 115 substitutes as teachers and 112 substitutes as paraprofessionals.
In total, the district hired 642 teachers last year. These new teachers represent 8 countries and 35 states.
“It is important to have people of different backgrounds working together and collaborating for students,” Linton said.
Compared to state averages, FISD hires a low number of teachers who do not hold Texas teaching certifications.
Last year, the state average of teachers hired without a Texas certification was 34.5% while Region 10’s average was 36%. FISD hired an average of 4.5%—or 24— teachers that did not hold a Texas permit
“Even with those 24, it’s people who have a pathway for certification,” Linton said.
Also of note
The district’s participation in the Teacher Incentive Allotment program has allowed teachers to be eligible for stipends that could range from $2,700 to $15,500.
FISD is the only district in the immediate area with an approved system for the stipends, Linton said. Approximately 3,200 teachers are currently eligible for the stipends. An additional 900 teachers may become eligible if the district’s next program phase is approved by the state.
