Scott Muri, superintendent of the Ector County Independent School District, which already has a residency program, said the new state funding would allow his school district to expand the number of teacher residents it can pay.
It has been particularly difficult for schools to fill the positions of the teachers who have left the profession in recent years. Since the 2011-12 school year, about 10% of teachers in Texas have left the field each year. That number dipped to about 9% during the 2020-21 school year but is going back up — rising to almost 12% during the 2021-22 school year.
“The legislation would position Texas as a national leader in teacher residencies that yield better outcomes for students and educators,” said Ryan Franklin, senior director of policy and advocacy at Educate Texas. The bill also includes other features to incentivize teachers to stay in the profession, fight the shortage and understand the nature of the problem., a program that promises to pay teachers up to six-figure salaries if they meet certain performance requirements. About 13,000 teachers, or about 4% of the state’s educators, are currently part of the program.
In addition, the bill would allow teachers to send their children to pre-K in the districts where they work, if the service is available. Pre-K is not mandated in Texas, and the state will help cover the cost only for students who don’t speak English, are homeless or have parents who are active members of the military.