HAYS COUNTY, Texas — On Monday, the Hays Consolidated Independent School District approved a 4% pay increase for all employees starting next year. This creates the highest starting teacher salary Hays County has ever paid, at $50,000.
"I think that post-pandemic, everyone sees the value and they wonder, 'Why is it only $50,000?' And, you know, our school board and our district leadership, they pull out all the stops to put that money into the salaries for not just teachers, but all of our employees," said Tim Savoy, spokesperson for Hays CISD.
The pay increase is an incentive as the district tries to get more teachers in the classroom. It expects to add 700 to 1,200 students each year for the foreseeable future.
"The district is growing and we want to make sure that we have the best numbers possible, best number of student-to-teacher ratio,” said Linda Hall, deputy human resources officer. "To do that, we need to recruit the very, very best in our classrooms for our kids."
RELATED: LIST: Which Central Texas school districts are offering virtual learning this upcoming school year
Before kids go back to school, the district is trying to hire 62 more teachers. It also needs to hire 52 child nutrition workers and 30 bus drivers. It also has a great need for bilingual and special education teachers.
The school district says it had just over 100 teachers leave last year, which is about 6%. It says that is lower than the state average, which it says is around 16%.
"Last year, we had a decrease in our resignations, and as the world is kind of reopened, people are starting to move again," said Hall. “And so we have lost some teachers to resignations, but a lot of it is for our student growth.”
The school district is looking to fill the following positions:
- 62 teachers
- 2 counselors
- 24 instructional paraprofessionals
- 7 clerical paraprofessionals
- 52 child nutrition workers
- 30 transportation drivers
- 15 transportation monitors
- 2 transportation mechanics
- 1 crossing guard
- 12 custodians
- 1 speech-language pathologist
- 3 licensed specialist in school psychology
Meanwhile, Lockhart ISD approved a $68.5 million budget for 2021-22 at its meeting on Monday night. That budget includes a pay increase for teachers and librarians between 3% and 5%. Other district employees and substitute teachers will also see a pay increase, LISD said.
Hays CISD will hold a job fair for all positions on Wednesday, June 30.
It will be from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at 979 Kohlers Crossing in Kyle.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: