Liberty Hill ISD leaders offered insight into the district's workforce of roughly 1,460 employees during a Sept. 14 board meeting. During the presentation, the district highlighted its efforts to recruit and retain special education teachers, increase support for staff and add jobs sustainably.
“Not only have we done a lot of heavy lifting with new programs … we also onboarded 365 new employees because we opened up two and a half campuses this year,” Rebecca Owen, executive director of human resources for LHISD, said during the Sept. 14 board meeting. “It was a pretty big lift, but we got through that.”
At a glance
The district’s workforce is nearly split evenly between teachers and support staff, according to the presentation. LHISD employs about 700 teachers and 760 support employees.
Beyond hiring 365 new staff members over the past year, nearly 190 employees transferred internally within the district over the summer.
Staffing rates across the district remained variable as more than 93% of positions for general education teachers, district police and nutritional staff were filled.
While there are 13 vacancies for special education teachers and 11 for special education paraprofessionals, Owen said LHISD is considering strategies like improving caseload support, evaluating compensation and enhancing recruitment efforts to fill remaining gaps.
“This is the most difficult to recruit, and we're looking at several angles,” Owen said.
Dig in deeper
Maintenance positions were 60% filled, which Owen said remains a “priority for the district.” She added that LHISD is working to address the shortage by engaging through job fairs, the Texas Workforce Commission and referral programs.
Owen also noted that the district has been able to hire more bus drivers and custodians through pay raises.
During the 2025-26 school year, 81.5% of roughly 13,800 substitute assignments were filled. However, substitutes were more difficult to find on Fridays, which had only a 73% coverage rate. Substitute coverage for illness, which can often be last-minute, stood at 56.9%.
“We are working through our substitute pipeline,” Owen said. “We’re really focusing on how we can give the training to our subs to be able to equip them to work in any of the classrooms they pick up, whether it’s a special education classroom or a long-term sub position.”
Among the strategies LHISD is considering to improve substitute coverage are expanding training for substitute teachers and improving transparency around the application process.
More details
Resignations fell by 37% to 249 across the district for the 2025-26 school year. Of those resignations, 57 were special education teachers. Owen said many of those who resigned had been at the district for only a year.
District leaders said they are also looking to expand onboarding resources for employees, include more check-ins and analyze employee feedback.
“We've got a mindset that onboarding is not just the two hours you come to Liberty Hill ISD, sit and listen about benefits and compensation,” Owen said. “Onboarding should last the entire year.”
While LHISD contributes $6,048 per year to employees enrolled in benefits, the district is looking to create a “full wellness program” for staff members. Owen said the district is looking to partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield as part of the program.
Keep in mind
The district has also applied for and received several opportunities to raise revenue to support staff:
Teacher Incentive Allotment: The state-funded program generated $1.1 million in revenues for the district to support over 150 teachers. LHISD, which contributed about $100,000 to the program, is seeking to expand access to TIA allotments.
Liberty Hill Education Foundation: The foundation has helped 10 staff members—including three special education staff members—earn additional certifications through its "Grow Your Own" program.
Texas Strategic Staffing grant: The district received a $58,000 grant to sustainably add a new staff member.
Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnerships: This state program will provide up to 40 new LHISD teachers access to mentorship and professional learning opportunities. Through the LASO program, the district also earned a residency award, which will help the district subsidize the cost of a student teacher position at Liberty Hill Middle School and another at Liberty Hill Elementary.
