Governor Greg Abbott has sent a letter to the Texas Education Agency requesting a task force be created to address teacher shortages in Texas schools.
The letter addressed to TEA Commissioner Mike H. Morath states the task force will investigate the challenges teacher vacancies are causing for school districts, explore best practices for addressing the shortage, and research the possibility for flexibility of certification, placement, and hiring.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shortage of teachers around Texas. Several school districts in the Rio Grande Valley increased substitute teacher pay to get individuals in the classroom. In October 2021, the Brownsville Independent School District held a job fair to help fill some of those teacher shortages.
Abbott writes “this task force should work diligently to ensure the best practices and resources of recruitment and retention are provided to districts to ensure the learning environment of Texas students is not interrupted by the absence of a qualified teacher.”
