As schools cope with teacher shortages, Hutto ISD is creating career pathways for educators

The Hutto school district plans to launch a new program this fall to allow new hires to work for the district while they complete a bachelor's degree.

District officials hope the new program will help fill vacancies, attract new prospective employees to teaching and encourage staff retention in Hutto.

The program, funded through the U.S. Department of Labor, allows participating school districts to employ people interested in becoming a teacher as paraprofessionals through a plan called "enrichED pathways." People participating in that program work in the school district and attend training while they complete their degree online and, ultimately, obtain a teacher's certification, said Cara Malone, assistant superintendent of human resources for Hutto schools.

"I think sometimes education is the only profession that waits for people to come to us," Malone said. "We are finding our future teachers."

Hutto is among a group of districts participating in the program, most of which are in the Houston area, according to the district. The funding comes from a combination of local money and federal contributions, according to the district.

The Hutto district employed about 647 teachers and 147 educational aides during the 2022-23 school year, according to Texas Education Agency data.

Through the program, the district would pay the employees and pay for their degree through the partnership with the Labor Department.

The district has selected partner universities that offer classes online and provide low-cost tuition, Malone said.

The application process will be rigorous, she said. Through the program, the district hopes to hire this fall 50 people who are interested in finishing school or professionals who would like to enter the teaching field and need teacher certification, she said. People who finish the program would be expected to stay with the Hutto district for three years.

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The program will provide an alternative pathway for aspiring teachers, Superintendent Raúl Peña said.

Similar to other teacher fellowship programs, the district aims to mentor the participants as they work for it, he said.

"Our current charge in public education is to just be innovative and creative and create additional pipelines," Peña said.

When hired, the program participants would work in jobs such as instructional aides, special education aides or at the employee day care facility, according to the district.

"We can help change the life of someone today, which can help change the life of our students tomorrow," Malone said.

Central Texas school districts have faced teacher retention issues in the post-pandemic years, and many have gotten creative with their efforts to recruit and retain educators.

Many have raised salaries, such as the Austin district's $64 million investment in staff pay last year. The Manor school district began hiring teachers from abroad who were interested in working in the United States.

The Hutto district had a 25.4% turnover rate in the 2022-23 school year, slightly higher than the statewide rate of 21.4%, according to education agency data. Many districts struggled in the post-pandemic years to retain staff members, especially those who were entry level or near retirement.

The district has an informational meeting about the program scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at 301 Destiny Lane in Hutto.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Hutto school district creates career pathway for teacher recruitment