Fort Worth ISD billboards recruiting teachers outside Texas

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW) - Like several other North Texas school districts, Fort Worth ISD is dealing with a teacher shortage, and to combat the problem the district is now taking its recruiting efforts beyond state lines. If you take the drive north to Oklahoma or east to Louisiana you might see one of the seven digital and print billboards Fort Worth ISD has purchased to recruit candidates for nearly 280 teacher vacancies. Drivers will have a hard time missing the red signs that say, "Your Future Is In A Fort Worth Classroom. Firs Year Teachers Earn $58,000 - $69,000."

"We are spreading the word about opportunities available in Fort Worth ISD. With a starting salary ranging from $58,000 to $69,500 including incentives, FWISD vastly out pays many schools districts in neighboring states, presenting exciting opportunities for educators looking to relocate," said Chief Talent Officer Raul Peña. "It is just another way we are adapting our strategy to ensure a highly qualified teacher in every classroom."

In addition to a starting salary that is higher than most districts in Oklahoma and Louisiana, the district is offering hiring bonuses ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. The bonuses are targeting Bilingual Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Secondary Math, Science or English Language Arts Teachers, and teachers who make a hiring commitment to Fort Worth ISD prior to May 1, 2022.

In addition to the billboards, the district held the first of several upcoming job fairs Monday, March 29th, at Paschal High School. In addition to teachers, Fort Worth ISD is looking for bus drivers and custodians.

"We are always looking for custodian, bus drivers, bus attendants, cafeteria workers, campus safety security, teaching assistants. So we have a number of auxiliary positions, and meeting the demand of a large ISD it's a year round process."

Fort Worth ISD's next hiring event is their Mega Job Fair on April 9th. You can get more details on the Fort Worth ISD website.