TEA confirms New Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview
This past week TEA confirmed that 24 new teachers were added to the “Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview” which will go over the different factors on how to help our curtain teachers and what our state can do to attract new teachers. Across Texas, districts are raising their teachers’ salaries but is it enough to help? As food and gas prices rise, I believe it will take more than a 2% percent to 8% raise to help all our teachers survive. I know that at times we’re finding ourselves standing in the 10 items or less checkout, buying only enough to get us through the week. As we head to the gas pump, our $20 doesn’t go very far these days.
According to one report by Texas AFT, our Texas teachers’ salaries make an average of $7,449 less than the national average. After these slight increases in wages due to the cost of living, Texas is still ranked in 29th place out of 50 states. If this new Task Force wants to understand what it will take to keep our teachers or what we need to do to help them stay in the classrooms, we need to ask for a more significant increase in their salaries. If this task force wants to help encourage new college students to become teachers, we need to offer free tuition, including all living costs, fees, and books. The committee will have its first meeting on June 2nd, and all we can do now is hope that all the new teachers will come up with some great incentives to help our educators for our future children’s education.
As this school is coming to an end, most of our schools have been administering the STAAR tests, which is a long tiring process. Parents, I would like to inform you that TEA has stated that this will be the first time since the pandemic that schools will be rated based on testing scores. But, for this year, only schools will receive A-C, and districts and other schools that score D or F will receive a “Not Rated” label. This means that these schools will also evade any possible sanctions from the TEA during the 2022-2023 school year. At this point, our Texas Educational System appears to be based on a good poker game or roulette table. So, now let us see where this new committee puts all their ideas on whether it’s all in black or red or a random number. All we can do now is help our children prepare for whatever comes next. At the need of the day, we need to ensure that our kids know we care about their education.
If we leave it in the hands of current Gov. Greg Abbott who wants to defund our public education system and deny any child that crosses our boarders an education, we will be facing a bigger crisis. Let us remember that it takes a village to raise a child. We need to ensure that our teachers, staff, and administrators have our support. If anyone has any questions, please email me at lena.lopez@saoberver.com.
Have a Blessed Week.
