Leander ISD has the best teachers in Texas. We stack up well against any District in Texas. So why are so many leaving? Why is it so hard to attract new teachers? Pay is a big part of it. Our teachers are over-burdened with paperwork and policies pushed by the Central Administration. They call it "administrative burden".
Why can't we just let our teachers teach?
LISD teachers, on average, earn about $2,300 less than other teachers in the state. They're also making about half of the average pay of Central Administration. We have state level competitors in all kinds of extracurricular activities, but the stipend doesn't even come close to minimum wage. With inflation soaring, how long will even the most dedicated teacher hang on?
Teachers are in this profession because they love kids. They chose this field to nurture, guide and direct growing children but find themselves in endless meetings, pushing paperwork, and saddled with Administrative policies. The most common complaint is that they lose the time they need to spend with and focus on our children.
This is a leadership problem. Successful business leaders hire smart people and let them do the job with reasonable levels of accountability. It is time for LISD Administration and the School Board to reexamine District financial and administrative policies.
