Fort Worth ISD Hopes To Hire Teachers 'On The Spot,' Offering Huge Incentives

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Aspiring teachers could get a job offer Saturday, be in the classroom by January, and be making nearly $70,000 a year as school districts urgently work to fill vacancies in classrooms.

At a hiring fair Saturday morning, the Fort Worth Independent School District expects to hire teachers "on the spot." It comes as the district is recruiting potential new teachers with added urgency and increasing incentives and bonuses to draw experienced teachers back into schools.

FWISD graduates who return to teach could earn an extra $500. Start teaching this school year and there's an extra $1,000. Commit to next year and there's another $2,000. Secondary math and science teachers can make an extra $3,000 and bilingual elementary teachers, an additional $5,000.

"Now more than ever, every industry that's been hit with the post pandemic effect, and trying to find personnel and people to hire, it's been tough," Raul Pena, the district's Chief Talent Officer, said Friday.

Pena is hoping the early hiring fair could attract December college graduates as well as experienced educators who may have been waiting for virus concerns to lessen before returning to work.

"We're hopeful people start seeing the vaccines, along with other efforts, are working and we have a really clean, safe opportunity for them to return back to work," Pena said.

Candidates will be able to meet with principals at the event and learn about individual schools. It begins at 9 a.m. at the district's new Teacher and Learning Center, off I-30 at 1050 Bridgewood Dr. in Fort Worth.