Teacher shortage forces Mesquite ISD to consider 4-day workweek

The Houston Elementary School in the Mineral Wells Independent School District began the school year in a position that made school leaders the world over envy.

“We started the year without any vacancies, which is very important in this day and age,” Jaycee Roach said in an interview at the beginning of the school year.

More than 40 Texas school districts have adopted a 4-day week; it is much easier for schools that offer this to keep their teachers in the classroom.

It mostly worked in the countryside, but it also made its way into the suburbs. Now Mesquite ISD is announcing a plan to possibly do the same.

The county doesn’t want to talk about the plan ahead of Monday’s council meeting, but on the episode “Soup with the Superintendent,” new Mesquite ISD leader told us how difficult it was to compete for teachers.

New Mesquite ISD superintendent Angel Rivera joins NBC 5’s Wayne Carter for lunch to share his plan for the county.

“Our biggest problem is teacher salaries. It seemed to me that all the superintendents played chess. Who will be the first to announce their compensation package so I can beat them?” Angel Rivera, Mesquite ISD superintendent, said.

There is always concern about how parents of young children can work and keep their children at home while they are at work. Mesquite conducted a survey of parents and talked about opening a school for parents who need nannies, which they did in Mineral Wells.

But a Mesquite ISD poll found that most parents said they wouldn’t need it.

However, it has opened the door to a discussion about the steps that districts are taking to try and keep teachers, even at the cost of inconveniencing parents.

“When teachers tell you they are burnt out, they are tired, for which this code means I am asked to do everything and then I get paid what I am paid,” said H.D. Chambers is from the Texas School Alliance, a group representing some of the largest school districts in Texas.

Chambers said it’s not just about money, it’s about all the pressure we put on teachers and schools should try to alleviate it.

Little Elm ISD tried to switch to a 4-day week, but the parents didn’t like the idea and abandoned it. They are still trying to fill open positions and return to the drawing board.

Whether Mesquite ISD will have the backing to pull this off remains to be seen Monday night.

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News

Related Articles

Back to top button