Texas targets New Mexico teachers with new billboard

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Yearly it’s a wrestle to get academics and workers into lecture rooms, however it’s not simply an Albuquerque drawback.

North Texas is asking, hoping New Mexico drivers will reply. A brand new billboard on I-25 close to Comanche is straightforward and to the purpose – they’re in search of academics, and so they’ll pay.

“I actually don’t assume it’s threatening. I believe it’s an indication of the instances,” stated Ellen Bernstein, president of Albuquerque Instructor’s Federation. 

However districts statewide are struggling to get sufficient academics and workers in colleges to show New Mexico youngsters. Albuquerque Public Faculties has felt the pressure. Proper now, the district has greater than 700 jobs posted.

“We had a horrible yr final yr due to the staffing shortages. However we aren’t alone. Each single state within the nation is experiencing horrible shortages, and that’s why a district like Dallas is promoting in a metropolis like Albuquerque,” stated Bernstein.

Bernstein believes there’s greater than meets the attention, particularly the eye-catching wage.

“You’ve acquired to place the monetary incentive into the context with the price of dwelling in Dallas. If a instructor right here is admittedly seeking to transfer there, they’ve to have a look at the entire image and that’s, can I afford to dwell in Dallas with the form of wage that they’re providing, as a result of a signing bonus doesn’t final by a whole profession,” Bernstein defined. 

Bernstein stated APS has mentoring applications to assist younger academics, ongoing help to verify they succeed, and a tradition with working circumstances they’ve helped to strengthen. In her thoughts, there’s no competitors.

“I imagine if Dallas actually handled their academics with respect, they wouldn’t have to come back right here and pilfer our academics,” she stated. 

KOB 4 reached out to APS to see if they’re advertising and marketing somewhere else.

A spokesperson sids they don’t even have a advertising and marketing price range – these {dollars} go straight to the classroom. However they’re engaged on getting extra workers members by their web site and social media.

There are additionally some recruitment efforts within the works, beginning this week on the New Mexico United sport.