About 150 teachers in the Fort Worth ISD are ending the school year with a lot of uncertainty. They've been told they still have a job but not at their current campus, and it could be months before they learn where they're headed.
It's all because the district has too many teachers in certain positions, at certain schools. That may seem confusing, because NBC 5 recently reported that Fort Worth ISD is actively recruiting out of state.
There are billboards posted around Oklahoma, urging teachers to consider moving to Fort Worth and, in fact, some have already been hired on.
District leaders explained before Tuesday night's board meeting that they lose about 500 teachers at the end of every school year to retirements or resignations, so they always go on a hiring spree in the summer. This year, they'll hire 150 fewer teachers to adjust to the current surplus.
But for those who are being moved against their will, it will be a tough adjustment.
"Some of these teachers have been decades in these schools, not only teaching students, but parents of students," said Steven Poole, Executive Director of the United Educators Association. "They're part of the community, so to be ripped out of that fiber of the community that they're told is part of their job to be a part of, that's difficult."
Cynthia Rincon, Chief of Human Capital Management for Fort Worth ISD said she understood teachers' concerns and they may have an opportunity to transfer back to their old campuses in the future.
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But Rincon added, "I would hope that they would want to help all children in Fort Worth ISD because I think we have a school for everyone. With over 140 campuses, we have something for everyone."
Rincon said roughly the same number of teachers had to be moved last year. They were able to place about 100 by June last year, but they won't know for sure where all their openings will be until all retirements and resignations are finalized by the end of the summer.
