Hays CISD superintendent celebrates staffing levels while rushing to staff new state mandate

While finding and keeping teachers has not been a problem for Hays CISD, it may be more difficult to staff a new state mandate.

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Hays Consolidated Independent School District is growing.

“It is growing extremely fast,” Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright said. “This year compared to the beginning of last year we gained about 1,600 students.”

The school district is keeping up with growth by building two new elementary schools, currently under construction, and teacher staffing levels are high.

“We are so pleased we only had a 6% turnover rate this year, so we were able to retain high-quality staff,” Wright said. “We are glad to be able to keep them and we have a 99% fill rate right now.”

While finding and keeping teachers has not been a problem for Hays CISD, it may be more difficult to staff a new state mandate.

In September, every school in Texas must have a school resource officer patrolling it under House Bill 3.

“We have indicated our intent to our county that we want to place one at every campus, but unfortunately they don’t have the manpower to be able to fulfill it,” Wright said.

Currently, Hays CISD has two police officers at every high school, one at every middle school and rotate patrols at the elementary schools.

Wright hopes the state will provide more funding to hire more officers in the future, but he is not waiting.

“Obviously, I think the state needs to step up and fund it but for the safety of our kids we will fund it locally,” he said.

For Hays CISD, funding the requirement is one thing but staffing it is another.

“It’s not a money situation as much as a manpower situation,” Wright said. “It’s more of a manpower issue just because the sheriff’s office can’t even fill their own vacancies in jailors and patrols and all those things.”

The superintendent will discuss options with the school board during its August meeting.