Midway ISD combats staffing challenges

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Despite school districts across Texas experiencing staffing issues in recent years, Midway ISD says that they’re “adequately staffed” heading into the new school year.

District officials say that while they’re starting the year with a well equipped staff, they’ve had to make changes to how they staff schools.

This is due in large part to a trend of teachers leaving their positions during the school year..

As a result, the district has moved to a year round hiring cycle, rather than only hiring during Summer months.

“We don’t have a choice,” said Dr. Chris Allen, the Superintendent of Schools at Midway ISD.

“Does it help? Yeah, it does. But the reason we didn’t operate more like that pre-covid is because you could count on people to come in and fulfil their commitment to the contract.”

According to recent research by the Texas Education Agency, first year teachers are among the groups leaving the profession at the quickest rate.

At the start of the 2021-22 school year, there were 24,093 first-year teachers across Texas.

6,268, or 26.02%, of those teachers left their position by the start of the following school year.

The start the following school year paints a similar picture.

Statewide there were 20,148 first-year teachers at the start of 2022-23.

By the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, 4,398, or 21.79%, had left their positions.

Allen says that one of the biggest drivers behind the turnover is pay.

“We have not see an increase to the allotment since the ‘86 legislature, again, pre-covid, even though we’ve seen between 10 and 15 percent inflation” said Allen.

“Wages are just not keeping up with inflation.”

According to their website, Midway I-S-D currently has 20 jobs open in teacher or teacher’s aide positions.

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