Austin ISD offers money to experienced teachers to teach at failing schools

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD is offering money to experienced teachers to come to its failing schools and help "turn them around." 

This is an effort to avoid a take-over by the Texas Education Agency.

Struggling Austin ISD middle schools

The backstory:

"These three campuses specifically are in the most dire need right now," Austin ISD Chief of Talent Strategy Brandi Hosack said.

Dobie, Webb, and Burnet Middle Schools are all in jeopardy of state intervention. These campuses have received three consecutive failing accountability ratings and are projected to have more.

"Campuses that have been historically underserved do tend to have a harder time hiring, which means that they have a tendency to hire novice teachers, and so it is kind of a tsunami effect of them. We see student performance and growth start to decline," Hosack said.

Big picture view:

Austin ISD is now trying to turn these schools around by offering up to a $20,000 stipend for teachers to come to these schools.

"The money is not going to be the thing that calls you to do this. It is the ethical pool to make sure that every single child deserves the education that they receive, the education they deserve," Hosack said.

These teachers must have at least three years of experience as a core classroom teacher and proof of student assessment growth. The district is looking for about 100 teachers.

The teachers who are currently at these schools and don’t meet the criteria will be moved to other school districts.

"It's not about you not doing your job and we are removing you. The folks that have been at Dobie, Webb, and Burnet have worked incredibly hard to support these students. This is simply a function of needing to ensure that we, within a turnaround plan, have seasoned experts in that field, in that content," Hosack said.

Hosack estimates it will cost more than $5 million each year to hire these teachers and provide additional support needed.

"If we're going to invest money in this way, that means that we are going to have to make reductions in other areas," Hosack said.

What's next:

The goal is to show significant and sustainable growth in student achievement and move the schools toward a "C rating" within two years.

"If the students do not meet accountability, what is the action? Well, if they make an F, that would be the fifth consecutive F, assuming 2024 gets released and assuming they don’t get a D. There are a lot of assumptions, but assuming all of that, then the commissioner should take action, closure of the school or instillation of board of managers," Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura said.

The hiring events are set to take place on May 14-15. The district said they are working on plans to help other failing schools, but these have the highest needs at the moment.