Chief Human Resources Officer Julia Andrews outlined the district's current staffing landscape, recruitment efforts and retention strategies that have resulted in the district's 11.5% turnover rate— nearly half of the state’s 20% rate—at the Nov. 18 board meeting.
“These priorities form the foundation of our recruitment and retention strategy, ensuring that we not only attract the right people to [LCISD] but also create conditions that help them thrive and grow with us,” she said.
The current situation
Andrews said the district employs more than 6,500 staff members across all job categories, with fill rates averaging 95% districtwide. In the last three years, she said the district experienced more than a 25% increase in new hires, largely due to the opening of seven new campuses and continued enrollment growth.
Administration and maintenance and operations positions were close to completely filled, per the presentation. However, paraprofessionals, transportation and technical categories—including technology specialists, graphic arts staff and learning and development staff—are still below the average vacancy rate.
Since May 2024, 495 employees have completed exit surveys, Director of HR Courtney De La Torre said, 46% of whom were teachers. Most staff members cited personal and family reasons for leaving the district, per the findings.
What’s being done
De La Torre said the district is strengthening its recruitment with strategies including:
- A $100 refer-a-friend incentive for employees who help fill eligible positions
- Hosting multiple annual job fairs at the district and attending job fairs across 15 college campuses in Texas
- Alternative Certification Program Night Out, spotlighting alternative certification pathways for nontraditional prospective educators
She said LCISD continues investing in its “Grow Your Own” strategies by developing future educators from within, including:
- Resident teacher placements with Texas A&M University-Victoria and the University of Houston, with a goal of expanding from 20 to 40 placements via the state-funded Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities grant that funds teacher pipelines
- Stay-in-Touch campaigns that engage student observers as they continue their careers as educators
- Structured pathways for paraprofessionals and substitutes—19 of whom have already been hired as teachers for the 2025-26 school year—to earn teacher certification
Previously, Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens said the rise of teacher retention from 89% to 95% from the 2024-25 to 2025-26 school year has coincided with the implementation of the innovative school day, which has improved work-life balance for staffers due to the additional planning period while students learn “real-world” skills.
Moving forward
De La Torre said the district is working to improve its substitute teacher fill rate. Though it has increased from 70% to 74% from the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school year, De La Torre said it is still below the average fill rate of other positions.
To accelerate hiring among substitute teachers, De La Torre said the district is implementing fast-track onboarding for retired Lamar CISD teachers and former employees and adopting a new application system that reduces processing delays by requiring references upfront.
To address shortages at secondary campuses, she said HR is proposing daily rate increases of $25 for sixth- through eighth-grade teachers and $35 for high school teachers, pending approval for the 2026-27 budget cycle.
