We are counting down to the start of a new school year, with most North Texas School districts starting next week. While students are giddy with excitement, advocacy groups are keeping a close eye on the challenges facing our educators. We spoke to the VP of the Texas State Teachers Associatio n about the push for the teacher experience, pay, and retention in the classroom. While Fort Worth ISD lagged academically, Most North Texas schools are performing well. But many share a challenge – keeping well-qualified, certified teachers in the classroom. “When it comes down to it, when it’s not worth your time and your compensation, I know a lot of teachers that are finding other professions or even going out of state for other education systems,” said David Ring, VP of the Texas State Teachers Association Ring spent nearly 20 years in the classroom and is now working to increase teacher pay in Texas. He’s worried, though, as many districts scramble to fill empty roles. “With all these districts trying to fill in staff at the last minutes, you’re going to see, I think, a lot disruption and a lot of learning loss in the first couple of weeks,” Ring said. According to an April 2026 report from the Texas Education Agency, teacher attrition has improved since 2022, but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. The recent passing of House Bill 2 provided a bump between roughly $3,000-$7,000 for those with more than five years on the job. Still, Texas teachers’ salaries lag the national average by some $10,000. “The more you throw at people, the more they are going to take on if you’re showing your appreciation for them and you’re compensating for that,” said Ring. “Without that compensation you’re just squeezing more and more out of the rock.” Many districts are turning to uncertified teachers to meet the need, making up a high percentage of new hires compared to just five years ago. It’s a solution that raises some concern. “When you have the individuals who are coming in who don’t have that background and buy-in of past time put into education, you’re going to see a lot more willingness of employees to walk away from their contracts,” Ring said. In a move to aggressively address gaps, House Bill 2 directs the TEA to collect information from school systems as it launches the Teacher Vacancy Collection. School systems will report on vacant teaching positions between September 1 and August 31 of each school year. Districts across North Texas are reporting much fewer vacancies this year, with Dallas and Fort Worth having nearly all positions filled weeks ago; an unusual accomplishment. ...read more read less