KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) – Katy Independent School District President Victor Perez is creating a special-purpose committee to focus on teacher retention and job satisfaction so the board can utilize the information to formulate policies that will keep teachers from leaving the profession.
It's "focusing strictly on teachers – retaining teachers and adding and attracting teachers," Perez said at the school board meeting on Nov. 13, 2023. "As we know, the teacher shortage is statewide and nationwide, not just at Katy ISD. And of course, we know the district is growing, and we need more and more teachers."
The committee will meet with teachers and receive their input. Perez appointed trustees Amy Thieme, and Mary Ellen Cuzela to serve with him on the committee. Thieme is a former Katy ISD teacher, and Cuzela is a former substitute teacher.
Longtime board member Rebecca Fox is upset that she was not appointed to the committee.
"I feel disrespected by the amount of time that I have spent in this community and at this board and time and time again, I am disrespected," Fox said.
Perez noted that he had appointed Fox to another critical committee.
"But you are on the academic performance committee,” Perez said. "That's a very important committee. Academic outcomes are what we need to focus on."
Fox questioned the qualifications of Theme, and Cuzela, to serve on the committee.
"Their roles and knowledge and experience is not deep," Fox said.
"I agree with Ms. Fox," board member Dawn Champagne said. "Although I have not been a teacher, I have been in the classrooms a lot during the last 20 years, more recently maybe than some other trustees that have been chosen."
We are "acknowledging that the largest stakeholder, which is our parents in this district, overwhelmingly voiced their desire for this,” Trustee Morgan Calhoun said. "So, I am encouraged that the new board is continuing to be responsive to our stakeholders and to our community."
Calhoun said she's looking forward to hearing teachers' perspectives on why so many are leaving the profession.
"I look forward to what is going to come out of this committee. I think it's going to be a great collaboration effort between our committee and teachers."
Calhoun says parents are concerned about the large number of teachers leaving the profession, and they want the board to address the issue.
The Teacher Retention and Job Satisfaction Committee will complete its work and report its findings in 90 to 120 days.