>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE ON KXAN LIVE ON WILL BE PRETTY COMING TO YOU FROM THE KXAN LIVE STUDIO AND AUSTIN WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. AND THIS WEEK MANY OF YOUR KIDS OUT THERE ARE LIKELY STARTING SCHOOL SO MANY DISTRICTS ARE HAVING THEIR FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND. REALLY A CONVERSATION THAT'S COMING UP A LOT IS ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW AND THAT OF COURSE HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TEACHER RESIGNATIONS SOME OF THE DISTRICTS ARE WORKING TO FILL OPENINGS BECAUSE OF A RECORD NUMBER OF THOSE TEACHERS, LEAVING THE PROFESSION IN TEXAS AND THIS WEEK, A NEW WEB STORY WENT UP LIVE ON KXAN DOT COM LOOKING INTO WHAT'S DRIVING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE THAT'S CALLED THE EXIT AND THIS AFTERNOON 2 OF THE REPORTERS WHO HELPED BRING THIS PROJECT TO ALL OF US ARE JOINING US NOW FOR A CONVERSATION SO LET'S WELCOME IN KXAN INVESTIGATOR KELLY WILEY AND 8 ADDITIONAL REPORTER CHRISTOPHER ADAMS THANK YOU BOTH COUNTY CHRIS FOR BEING HERE WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING I THINK YOU COULD BE HERE. IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD DAY WHEN EITHER OF YOU ARE HERE AND NOW I GET TO BOTH OF YOU SO IT'S A REAL TREE. >> ALL RIGHT WELL JUST WANT TO START OFF WITH EVERYTHING BECAUSE THIS STORY AS SOON AS IT WENT LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE IT REALLY TOUCHED A NERVE WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE IT STARTED TRENDING AND IT'S GOTTEN THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF THIS POINT WHICH REALLY TIP THE HAT TO YOU FOR THAT BUT WHAT IS THE REACTION THAT YOU'RE GETTING TO THIS STORY SINCE IT WENT UP LIVE. >> IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE CONNECTING NOT JUST TEACHERS BUT ALSO PARENTS PEOPLE WHO JUST GENERALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORS HERE IN TEXAS. BUT I THINK THE STRONGEST REACTION HAS BEEN FROM TEACHERS WHO ARE REACHING OUT TO SAY. JUAN THANK YOU FOR KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THIS BUT ALSO TO ADD ON TO TO WHAT WE FOUND IS REASONS, I'M JUST LIKE ANY JOB, EVERYBODY HAS PERSONAL THINGS THAT DRIVE. WHY THEY LEAVE THERE JUST HAPPENED TO BE A LOT OF TRENDS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EDUCATION IN TEXAS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT I WOULD SAY THE STRONGEST REACTIONS JUST BEEN HEARING FROM PARENTS STUDENTS, TEACHERS ECHOING WHAT WE FOUND IN OUR REPORT. WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC. SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN ALSO SPEAK GUN KELLY. >> THE IDEA WHERE THIS STORY CAME FROM AND LEAD YOU INTO ALL THIS REPORTING FOR THIS PROJECT. >> SO HERE AT KXAN WE DO A LOT OF WE USE OUR REPORTED TOOLE A LOT OF PEOPLE E-MAILING TO US AND SO A LONG TIME AGO WELL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE DOING A REPORT ON ONE PARTICULAR TEACHER WHO'D LEFT AND AS A PART OF OUR VETTING PROCESS WE ALWAYS ASK HEY CAN YOU SOMETHING TO HELP THAT THAT YOU WERE A TEACHER AND THAT YOU DID LEAVE AND THE DOCUMENT THAT THAT I RECEIVED WAS A CONTRACT ABANDONMENT FORM THE WAY THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT IN JOURNALISM IS WHERE THERE'S A FORM THERE'S DATA AND SO WE STARTED REQUESTING THESE CONTRACT ABANDONMENT FORMS FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA FROM THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS. AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY INFORMATIVE IT WAS VERY PERSONAL REASONS THAT THESE TEACHERS WERE WE TYPICALLY DON'T GET ACCESS TO TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING HARD AND YOU'RE IN THE CLASSROOM WILL USUALLY HEAR FROM A SUPERINTENDENT OR THE STATE AND THESE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT FOR US FOR HEART BREAKING THESE TEACHERS WERE SAYING IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS EXACTLY WHAT WAS DRIVING THEM OUT IT USUALLY CENTERED AROUND NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS OR BEING STRESSED MENTALLY TOO. WELL, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING SEE AGAIN THOSE REASONS FOR WHY THESE TEACHERS ARE LEAVING THEIR JOBS BUT CHRISTOPHER YOU ALSO HELP WITH THIS PROJECT AND FIGURING OUT WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING AND HOW THEY TRACK SOME OF THIS INFORMATION SO WHEN WE FIND OUT THAT WITH OUR YES LIKE KELLY SAID WE REQUEST THAT THESE FORMS THE TOP 10 LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE AND ALSO SEVERAL HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. >> THE ISSUE ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE RUN INTO IS THAT NOT EVERY DISTRICT IS TRACKING THIS THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER IN FACT NOT TRACKING THIS WHATSOEVER. AND SO WE HAD TO COME A CROPPER COME UP WITH SOME SOME KIND OF COMMON THEMES IN CATEGORIES THAT WE WERE SEEING FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE BETWEEN THE 2 YEAH, I MEAN IT IS INCREDIBLY FASCINATING TO LOOK AT BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO SEE THE FIRST PART OF YOUR INVESTIGATION THAT AIRED LAST NIGHT KELLY AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT TEACHER RESIGNATIONS IN TEXAS, BUT WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE. >> IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE THE VALEDICTORIAN OF THE CLASS OF 2022. >> BETWEEN THE START OF HER SENIOR YEAR IN HER GRADUATION 3 OF ALYSSA BILL SPIROS FAVORITE TEACHERS. >> THE AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENT SITTING RIGHT BEHIND LISSA PULLED OUT AN IMPROVED VERSION OF HER >> TEACHERS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND IT'S TIME TO STATE AND DISTRICT STARTED TREATING THEM WITH THE RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT THEY DESERVE. >> ALYSSA WENT TO A PALIN HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET IN CENTRAL AUSTIN TEACHERS WE TALKED TO SAY THEY LOVE THE SCHOOL AND STUDENTS. STILL RECORDS SHOW DURING THE PANDEMIC MORE TEACHERS LEFT WHOSE CAMPUS MID SCHOOL YEAR IN ALMOST ANY AISLES IN CASH AND I WAS THE HEAD OF COOL ACTIVITIES AT MCCALLUM HIGH SCHOOL ALLISON CASHED IN LEFT MCCALLUM IN APRIL 2021. SHE RESIGNED JUST AFTER HAVING A BABY WHEN SHE SAYS SHE FOUND OUT DISTRICT POLICY WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO CONTINUE TEACHING VIRTUALLY. >> THE FACILITIES. OUR. AND I WOULD TEACH AND WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WEEKLY IN A CLASS THAT WAS 85 DEGREES WITH NO AIR CIRCULATION. AND SO THEN THE TRUST THAT WHEN THEY SAY COME BACK EVEN IN A PANDEMIC THERE WILL BE FINE WILL BE SAFE. >> TO TRUST THAT AND TO TRUST MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND STUDENT SAFETY. IT WAS JUST KIND OF THE LAST STRAW AND I JUST. I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT UP WITH IT. ESPECIALLY FOR THE PAY IT'S NOT LIVABLE. >> THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR MORE THAN A ISD TEACHERS RETIRED OR RESIGNED, 30% MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR STATEWIDE DISTRICT SAW A SIMILAR SURGE IN TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION. MCCALLUM ALONE TEACHERS ROAD NEAR EXIT SURVEYS THAT THEY RESIDE FOR A BETTER WORK LIFE BALANCE TO HIGHER PAY AND JOBS OUTSIDE OF EDUCATION. ONE TEACHER WROTE SIDE BECAUSE HE WAS DRIVING MORE THAN 2 AND A HALF HOURS TO THE CAMPUS. NICOLE GRIFFITH IS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL WE SEE MORE AND MORE TEACHERS THAT LIVE. >> OUTSIDE OF THE AND I THINK THAT HAPPENS IN MANY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE AND COUNTRY WHERE TEACHERS CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY SIR AND I WISH I COULD SOLVE THAT PROBLEM IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL SAD. >> AND MANY TEXAS SCHOOLS, TEACHERS RESIGNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR LEAD TO OTHER PROBLEMS LARGER CLASS SIZES CORE CLASSES WITH LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES I HAD MY BIOLOGY TEACHER QUIT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR AND SO FOR ABOUT LIKE 6 WEEKS I HAD A SUB AND I WOULD PRETTY MUCH JUST SITTING CLASS AND MY AP BIOLOGY CLASS FOR A FEW WEEKS AND JUST NOT REALLY DO ANYTHING. >> BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO >> THE PRINCIPAL OF MCCALLUM SAYS AT ONE POINT THEY WERE SO LOW AND SUBSTITUTES AT A TIME WHEN TEACHERS WERE NOT JUST RESIGNING, BUT ALSO CALLING OUT SICK. THE PULLED MULTIPLE CLASSES INTO THE CAFETERIA FOR LESSONS BECAUSE THIS THIS HUGE RIPPLE EFFECT THE RIPPLE EFFECT THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HAPPENS IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BUILDING BECAUSE. PERMANENT SUBS CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED TEACHERS TO SO THE TEAM OF TEACHERS THAT THAT THAT TEACHER WAS ON TAKES A WHOLE LOT OF THE LOAD. CASHIN DOESN'T THINK SHE'LL PETE SHE SAYS THE DECISION TO LEAVE WAS ULTIMATELY RIGHT FOR HER THE MOST DIFFICULT DAY OF TEACHING WAS WHEN SHE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE. >> WELL. IT WAS SUCH A HARD DECISION AND I CARE ABOUT THEM SO MUCH AND SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS WHAT I NEEDED TO DO. BUT I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FEEL THAT. I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THEM AND AND SO IT WAS REALLY HARD IS TEACHERS WE OFTEN KIND OF PUT WHAT WE NEED TO CITE TO BE THE SELFLESS ONES TO GIVE ALL THAT WE HAVE FOR TO KIND OF HAVE THAT MOMENT OF THIS IS WHAT I NEED FOR MY FAMILY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED FROM ME. ISN'T THAT WHAT LEE WHO I AM BECAUSE. SO THAT WAS REALLY HARD. >> WE'RE BACK NOW WITH KELLY WILEY AND CHRISTOPHER ADAMS AND KELLY JUST WONDERFUL STORYTELLING THERE REALLY WHAT SPEAKS TO ME IS THAT LAST SOUND BITE THERE IS HOW EMOTIONAL SHE WAS TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER STUDENTS AND LEAVE THE PROFESSION THAT YOU REALLY LOVE. >> THEY WERE ALL LIKE THAT ALL THE TEACHERS THAT I TALKED TO EVERY TIME I SAID AT THE YOU KNOW HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT LEAVING THE STUDENTS OR MAYBE I ASK YOU KNOW WHAT WAS YOUR WORST DAY OF TEACHING. THEY WOULD ALL GET VERY EMOTIONAL. THESE ARE NOT. NONE OF THEM WERE LIGHT. YOU KNOW, WHATEVER FORGET THOSE KIDS LIKE THEY DEEPLY CARE THEY'VE GOTTEN INTO THE PROFESSION BECAUSE THEY REALLY ENJOY CHILDREN AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED TEACHING SOME OF THE TEACHERS THAT I TALKED TO ACTUALLY WERE IN DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS BEFORE THEY BECAME TEACHERS BUT THEY MAYBE GOT A TASTE OF MINUTE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS AND SO FOR ALL OF THEM, THEY REALLY STRUGGLED WITH WITH THAT THEY FEEL A LOT OF GUILT AROUND IT. BUT AGAIN HE'S WERE VERY PERSONAL DECISIONS THAT THEY WERE MAKING IT DEFINITELY COMES ACROSS THAT WAY FOR SURE IN ADDITION TO THIS REALLY WONDERFUL VIDEO STORYTELLING THERE ARE SO MANY INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS THAT PEOPLE CAN CHECK OUT WHENEVER THEY GO AND LOOK AT OUR INVESTIGATIVE SERIES THAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE ON KXAN DOT COM BUT. >> I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHARTS THAT CHRISTOPHER YOU HELP MAKE AND GO THROUGH SOME OF THEM SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE'S ONE CHART THAT YOU CAN FIND THE STORY THERE IT REALLY SHOWS THE SPIKE IN RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS IN THIS LAST SCHOOL YEAR BUT LET'S LOOK AT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR THERE'S A LOT OF CHARTS HERE EVERYBODY AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM SCHOOL ACROSS THEM IN THE WEB STORY RIGHT NOW AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY BUT THIS ONE BROKE DOWN THE REASONS FOR TEACHER RESIGNATIONS AFTER COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DISTRICTS TO BOTH OF CHRISTOPHER AND KELLY, WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU AS YOU ARE PUTTING THESE TOGETHER. I THINK FOR THE THE MAIN REASON THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS MULTIPLE DISTRICTS WAS PEOPLE WOULD TEACH IS LEAVING FOR. >> OTHER EMPLOYMENT WITH WHETHER THAT'S YOU KNOW A DIFFERENT DISTRICT THAT JUST SIMPLY BECOMING A TEACHER SOMEWHERE ELSE OR THAT GETTING OUT OF EDUCATION COMPLETELY I THINK IN EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT THAT WE SURVEYED OTHER EMPLOYMENT WAS THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT WE'RE SEEING. >> WHAT I TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE STORY BEHIND THE DATA BECAUSE HE'S SO RIGHT WHEN HE SAYING IT'S KIND OF THIS 2 DIFFERENT CAMPS, THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO ARE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY AND THEY WANT TO CHANGE THEIR CAREER COMPLETELY THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AUSTIN WHO ARE LEAVING TO GO DO SOMETHING WITH TANKER, YOU KNOW THAT'S A A GROWING INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN AND IT'S ALSO ONE THAT PAYS CONSIDERABLY THAN WHAT THEY MAKE HIS TEACHERS AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SKILLS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY USING AS TEACHERS THAT ARE YOU KNOW TRANSFERABLE BUT THEN THERE'S THIS OTHER THAT WE COULD SEE IN THE DATA THAT ARE LEAVING FOR JUST MORE COMPETITIVE PAY SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR INSTANCE, YOU SAW THE PRINCIPLE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF TEACHERS ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD HOMES IN WHERE THEY TEACH FOR AUSTIN ISD SO MAYBE LIVING HAYES MAYBE THEY LIVE LIKE YOU KNOW SOMEWHERE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT IN TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES COME UP IN HAYS SEE ISD AND THEY TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SHORTER IT MAY BE THAT THEY COULD GET LIKE A A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BUMP IN PAY. SO IT WAS KIND OF THOSE 2 CAMPS, NOT EVERYBODY'S. TOTALLY LEAVING EDUCATION A LOT ARE BUT SOME OF THEM ARE JUST BEING LOST TO A DISTRICT IS PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE OR WHERE AREA IS MORE AFFORDABLE AND WE'RE HEARING THAT TOO FROM THE SCHOOL OFFICIALS THAT ARE IN THOSE DISTRICTS THAT THE MORE PEOPLE PUSH OUT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE BETTER OF STAFFING NUMBERS CHRISTOPHER TELL AND YOU MIGHT EXPLAIN THIS IN JUST SECOND TO ADD, BUT I REALLY WANT TO ASK YOU HOW YOU WENT ABOUT. >> COLLECTING THIS TALEN DATA COMPILING IT AND THEN PUTTING TOGETHER THESE REALLY INTERACTIVE CHARTS YOU CAN FIND THE STORY. YES, WHAT WE SAID A LITTLE EARLIER WE REQUESTED THIS DATA FROM THE TOP 10 LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS AS WELL AS SEVERAL DISTRICTS HERE IN. >> ARE PART OF THE STATE. THE ISSUE IS NOT EVERY DISTRICT TRACKS. THIS THE SAME WAY. HOUSTON ISD FOR EXAMPLE, THE LARGEST IN THE STATE THEY HAVE ALMOST 200,000 STUDENTS ON THEIR EXCESS OF 8 FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY HAVE TEACHERS FEEL THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT A REASON WHATSOEVER AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE WHY TEACHES WE'RE LEAVING THAT OTHER DISTRICTS LIKE AUSTIN FOR EXAMPLE AUSTIN ISD THEY HAVE A BREAKDOWN A CHECKLIST IF YOU WILL WHAT TEACHERS CAN CHECK OFF MULTIPLE REASONS TO REALLY GIVE OVERVIEW SO EVEN IF A FOR EXAMPLE, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS NOT NUMBER ONE REASON FOR LEAVING THE KIDS STILL CHECK THAT BOX AND SAY THIS YOU KNOW THIS WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT IT WAS PART OF AN OVERALL A BIG PICTURE HERE THAT MAYBE WANT TO LEAVE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT WE GOT DATA FROM THE TEACHERS REALLY COULDN'T GET 1 ONE AND SO THAT'S WHY WE STARTED TO SEE THE THINGS LIKE OTHER EMPLOYMENT FAMILY REASONS THINGS LIKE THAT POP UP MORE OFTEN I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS OTHER INCREDIBLY AMAZING GRAPHIC THAT YOU ALL PUT TOGETHER FOR THE STORY AND IT'S THE SHOWING THIS MAP OF WHERE THE STARTING SALARIES ARE FOR THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR. >> AND CURIOUS CHRIS FROM WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU AND THAT WAS THE NUMBER HIGHER THAT YOU'RE SEEING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND IT WORKS AT WHAT IS THAT ALL YES IN MOST DISTRICTS OUR VIEWING AREA DID INCREASE PAY A REALLY ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 2% AUSTIN ISD WAS A 2% INCREASE FOR TEACHERS, STARTING SALARIES TO AS MUCH AS 10 PLUS PERCENT AND SOME OF THE OUTLYING DISTRICTS, LIBERTY HILL, A GENERALIZED D I BELIEVE THEY THEY REALLY BUMPS THAT PAY UP. WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME THAT WAS THE GIST THE DISPARITY IN STARTING PAY SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE ABSOLUTELY STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS WITH NO EXPERIENCE OF BRAND NEW TO THE PROFESSION. THERE'S A $20,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LOWEST PAYING DISTRICTS IN THE HIGHEST IN CENTRAL TEXAS WHICH IS YOU KNOW IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT SO THERE ARE 3 DISTRICTS IN OUR VIEWING AREA THAT PAY THE ABSOLUTE STATE MINIMUM THAT'S A $33,660 PER YEAR. THOSE DISTRICTS IN THE HILL COUNTRY THAT ROLE OF THE MEDIA ISD MASON ICE TEA AND RICHLAND SPRINGS ISD I'M REALLY ON THE FRINGES OF VIEWING AREA AGAIN THEY PAY JUST LESS THAN $34,000 A YEAR. AND THAT IS THE STATE MINIMUM SET BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE COMPARE THAT TO SOME OF THE MORE METROPOLITAN DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW PLACES LIKE DELVALLE DRIPPING SPRINGS, ALL OF THOSE PAY MORE THAN 54 EXCUSE ME $53,000 PER YEAR SO A $20,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT THE LOWEST PAYING DISTRICTS AND THE HIGHEST-PAID DISTRICTS HEAD JUST IN OUR AREA MEAN THAT IS THE TRULY AMAZING PART OF THIS PROJECT IS HOW MUCH DEPTH YOU ALL PUT OUT THERE AND HOW DEEP YOU DOES TO FIND OUT SOME THIS REASONING BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING ABOUT THIS AND SEEING THE EFFECT IT'S HAVING ON THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. >> KELLY I'M WONDERING THOUGH AS YOU REPORTED THIS PROJECT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE MINDFUL OF WHAT SOLUTIONS THERE ARE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE SHORTAGES AND TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION, WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU WHILE YOU WERE GOING KIND OF DOWN THAT AVENUE. >> WELL I THINK THE MAIN THING IS NO ONE IS IN DISAGREEMENT THAT IT'S PROBLEM, SO YOU KNOW THE LAWMAKERS THAT FOLKS WITH TEACHERS THE MEASURE THEY'RE ALL AWARE IN VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. BUT. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS ARRIVED QUICKER THAN THE SOLUTIONS FOR A NUMBER REASONS RIGHT, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE WON'T CONVENE UNTIL JANUARY. ALL THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED FRANCE'S LIKE IN THE TEACHER VACANCY TASK FORCE HAVE NOT QUITE COMING TO FRUITION. SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE DISTRICT LEVEL THAT THEY CAN DO RIGHT LIKE RAISING PAY PROVIDING STIPENDS IN BONUSES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, TEACHERS AND TEACHERS THEY NEED AND HARD TO STAFF AREAS. THOSE THINGS ARE STARTING TO ROLL OUT, BUT THIS IS LAWMAKERS HAVE THINGS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER AND THAT ONLY THEY CAN CHANGE ON THE STATE LEVEL THE TEA'S TRYING TO. PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS SO WHAT I WILL SAY AND YOU'LL SEE IN OUR REPORTING IS THAT EVERYONE'S WORKING ON IT. WHAT WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING IS WHAT COMES OUT OF IT THERE'S BEING THAT I HEARD A TEACHER SAY THAT WAS REALLY STRIKING TO ME AND THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'RE IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE, THEY NEED PEOPLE CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM. THE QUESTION WILL BE WILL THEY DO JUST ENOUGH TO GET BACK ON TRACK OR WILL THEY ACTUALLY START TO DO SOME OF THE WAR RADICAL REFORMS THAT WE'RE HEARING TEACHERS TALK ABOUT KELLY YOU MENTIONED THAT A TASK FORCE THAT THE STATE HAS PUT TOGETHER TO LOOK INTO THIS VERY ISSUE WHEN ARE THEY EXPECTED TO BRING FORWARD SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD. >> THE T E A SAYS THEY WILL PROVIDE A REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN FEBRUARY SO WON'T BE PAST CHRISTMAS BREAK BEFORE WE SEE THAT I'M SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW DISTRICTS. JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS YEAR THEY'RE NOT HAVING LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTE TO THE CLASSROOM FOR A REALLY LONG MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS TO KEEP. STUDENTS ON TRACK THE WAY THEY WANT TO. JOINING US THROUGHOUT THIS AFTERNOON HAS BEEN KXAN INVESTIGATOR KELLY WILEY AND OUR DIGITAL DATA REPORTER. >> CHRISTOPHER ADAMS WHO BOTH INCREDIBLY LONG HOURS AND THIS HAS REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT THAT WENT UP LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE KXAN DOT COM. BEFORE WE LET YOU GO THOUGH I WANT TO ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EXPECT TONIGHT IF THEY WERE TO TUNE IN ON KXAN THIS EVENING. >> SO TONIGHT, TEACHER PAY IS WHAT'S IN THE FOCUS FOR US. >> YOU'LL GET TO HEAR SOME MORE CONTEXT TO GET BEHIND THE THAT CHRISTOPHER WORK SO HARD TO COLLECT FOR US. YOU'LL GET TO HEAR FROM TEACHERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND WHO HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF OF SALARY THEY'RE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND THEY IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO TALK TO THEM AND I IT WILL IT WILL RESONATE WITH YOU ALL BUT TEACHER PAY IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT. AND WEDNESDAY WE WILL BE DISCUSSING KIND OVERARCHING STATE MANDATES THINGS THAT IMPACTS SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND TEACHERS AND THEN ON ON THURSDAY, WE'RE TALKING SOLUTIONS. >> AND YOU CAN FIND ALL THAT REPORTING RIGHT NOW AT KXAN DOT COM. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH KELLY AND CHRIS BERGEN FOR JOINING ME IN FOR TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT THIS IN FOR DOING ALL THAT WORK BECAUSE IT REALLY IS SPECTACULAR. THANK YOU APPRECIATE IT ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ MORE AND CHECK OUT ABOUT WHAT THIS INVESTIGATION INVOLVES YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE. IT'S ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT KXAN DOT COM. YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED ON THERE. LOOK AT THOSE MAPS AND GRAPHS THAT THEY PUT IN MORE IN DETAIL THAN WE SHOWED YOU HERE OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT KXAN DOT COM SLASH TEACHERS DASH RESIGN. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR WATCHING FOR THIS AFTERNOON. I WILL DO PRE COMING TO YOU FROM THE KXAN LIVE STUDIO HOPE YOU ALL STAY
