With the Midland Independent School District’s (MISD) classes about to commence for the 2023-2024 academic year on Aug. 9, officials have announced the addition of employee retention incentives, according to a press release.
"We firmly believe that high retention rates among our educators and campus-based staff are essential for fostering stable and thriving learning spaces,” MISD said in the release. “We are thrilled to announce two groundbreaking initiatives that celebrate the commitment and dedication of our MISD employees while underscoring the significance of consistence attendance.”
The release said that one initiative provides an additional $1,000 to $1,500 annually for all eligible district employees, which the district described as a way to recognize their long-term commitment. The other initiative, MISD said, pertains to perfect attendance offering between $1,500 and $3,000 annually for exempt and non-exempt campus staff. Per the district, these payments will be accrued incrementally every six weeks throughout the year.
"We are committed to fostering a nurturing environment where our students can thrive academically and emotionally," MISD Chief of Human Capital Brandon Reyes said in the release. "Our team of educators and staff play a vital role in achieving this goal, and we are excited to introduce these incentives as a testament to their dedication."
Teacher retention has been a problem for public school districts across the Lone Star State, with several making the switch to a four-day week the previous school year in an effort to maintain their respective workforces and attract prospective employees. Citing Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) ABC affiliate WFAA Channel 8, Austin Journal reported a random survey in March conducted by the Charles Butt Foundation in 2022 revealed that 77% of teachers said they had strongly considered leaving the classroom for good, a huge increase from 58% when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The publication reported that about 12% of the state’s teachers actually departed the profession before the commencement of the 2021-2022 school year, according to figures from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).