Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview
TEA establishes task force to address ongoing staffing concerns
From urban and suburban school systems with large student populations to those districts serving rural communities, public school systems across Texas are faced with growing staffing challenges that have been exacerbated by both population growth and the wide-ranging disruptions of a two-year-long pandemic. The Teacher Vacancy Task Force is working to find teacher-shaped solutions to these challenges - blending a variety of perspectives and experiences from current classroom teachers and school administrators - into thoughtful policy recommendations and an innovative way forward that firmly supports the needs of our teachers.
Understand the challenges districts are currently facing related to teacher vacancies
Share best practices for addressing critical teacher vacancy and shortage areas, including exploring opportunities for certification, placement, and hiring flexibilities
Develop recommendations for regulatory or other policy changes for TEA and the state
Provide feedback on TEA initiatives designed to help impact vacancies
Questions?
If you have any questions or comments related to the work of the Teacher Vacancy Task Force, please contact us at: TEATeacherVacancyTaskForce@tea.texas.gov.
Ideas and Volunteers
If you have an idea, want to volunteer to present, or be a panelist please complete this form.*
*Given the high volume of interest we have received in the Task Force, we will not be able to accommodate all volunteers, but we will consider the ideas shared and synthesize trends for discussion with the Task Force. The deadline for submitting nominations for the additional teacher members of the Task Force was on April 1, 2022. Following the deadline, TEA staff reviewed nomination forms, interviewed candidates, and checked references. For more information on the teacher selection process for participation on the Task Force, please see the Teacher Vacancy Task Force Teacher Selection Updates presentation linked on the TVTF webpage.
Task Force Regional Representation
The Task Force is comprised of teachers and school system leaders in public education hailing from a variety of districts and geographies, and serving student populations that are representative of the diversity of Texas.
Meeting Dates, Slide Decks and Notes
The Task Force will meet every other month for one year, with Commissioner Morath and agency leadership regularly facilitating discussions with Task Force members, while including insights gathered from experts and additional education stakeholders throughout the State of Texas.
| Agenda & Pre-Work | Presentation Decks | Summary Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome and Logistics | Welcome and Logistics | |
| 2022-2023 TFS Staffing Plan Review | Third Future Schools Presentation | Third Future Schools Presentation |
| Compensation Pre-Work | Breakout: Compensation | Breakout: Compensation |
| Improving Teacher Preparation Pre-Work | Breakout: Improving Teacher Preparation | Breakout: Improving Teacher Preparation |
| Talent Pipelines Working Group Pre-Work | Breakout: Talent Pipelines | Breakout: Talent Pipelines |
| Teacher Experience Pre-Work | Breakout: Teacher Experience | Breakout: Teacher Experience |
| Closing Session and Working Group Shareout | Closing Session and Working Group Shareout | |
| Summary Presentation (September 15, 2022) |
| Agenda & Pre-Work | Presentation Decks | Summary Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome, Introductions, and Logistics | Welcome, Introductions, and Logistics | |
| Meeting Pre-Work | Commissioner Morath's Comments and Q&A | Commissioner Morath's Comments and Q&A |
| Working Group Topic Overviews | Overview of Task Force Deliverables and Working Groups | Overview of Task Force Deliverables and Working Groups |
| Breakout: Educator Preparation | Breakout: Educator Preparation | |
| Breakout: Strategic Staffing Models | Breakout: Strategic Staffing Models | |
| Breakout: Compensation Models | Breakout: Compensation Models | |
|
Breakout: Teacher Experience |
Breakout: Teacher Experience | |
| Working Group Share Out | Working Group Share Out | |
| Summary Presentation (June 30, 2022) | ||
| Summary Presentation (July 21, 2022) |
Resources
| Source | Resource | Type |
|---|---|---|
| TEA | Teacher Voice: An open solicitation of teacher perspectives | |
| Southern Regional Education Board | A Blueprint to Solve Teacher Shortages | |
| CEEDAR Center, Center on Great Teachers & Leaders | An Opportunity to Invest in the Educator Workforce | |
| Charles Butt Foundation | 2021: How Texas Teachers Experience Pandemic Challenges | |
| Association of Texas Professional Educators | Let Us Teach: ATPE Members Provide Input to Teacher Vacancy Task Force | |
| AFT Texas | The Crisis in Our Schools: What’s Needed to Support Employees & Students | |
| Charles Butt Foundation | The 2022 Texas Teacher Poll | External Webpage |
| TNTP | Addressing Teacher Shortages: Practical Ideas for the Pandemic and Beyond | External Webpage |
| Learning Policy Institute | Tackling Teacher Shortages: What Can States and Districts Do? | External Webpage |
| Education Week | ‘Disrespected’ and ‘Dissatisfied’: 8 Takeaways from a New Survey of Teachers | External Webpage |
| Source | Resource | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Forney ISD | Forney Academy to Certify Teachers | |
| Third Future Schools | 2022-2023 TFS Staffing Plan |
| Source | Resource | Type |
|---|---|---|
| TEA | Frequently Asked Questions (Updated June 10th, 2022) | |
| TEA | Teacher Assignment Flexibility | |
| TEA | Use of Retired Teachers to Support Staffing | Webpage |
| TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) | External Webpage | |
| TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) | 7 Ways to Qualify an Uncertified Teacher | External Webpage |