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Special education teacher urges Waxahachie ISD to prioritize pay, transparency and supports
Summary
During the patron-comment period, Gloria Hannah, a special education teacher at DAP, urged the board to prioritize teacher compensation timelines, publicly post stipend lists, and develop retention strategies for special education staff.
Gloria Hannah, who identified herself as a Waxahachie resident and a special education teacher at DAP with nine years in WISD and 25 years in the field, urged the board during patron comment to make teacher pay a budgetary priority and to improve transparency and supports for special education staff.
Hannah said she only recently learned that "the state mandated raises would be added to our prior years of service, not our current years of service, therefore dissolving a possible step increase." She asked whether the district had previously allocated funds for step increases and, if so, "where are those funds currently being used?" If no funds were allocated, she asked why not.
Hannah offered three recommendations: shift the timeline so teacher compensation plans are discussed earlier (in spring) so employees can make informed retention decisions; publicly post complete stipend, supplemental pay and extra-duty lists online so employees can see and apply for additional pay opportunities; and develop a comprehensive improvement plan to recruit and retain highly qualified special education teachers, including assessing expectations, equitable resources, stipends and support for curriculum modification.
She criticized reductions in special-education stipends, noting that "a few years ago, other than specialized settings, SPED stipends were reduced from 2,000 to $1,000" and said high turnover persists despite stipend changes. Hannah suggested incentivizing teachers with specialized skills and using Title I funds for campus behavior interventionists for additional support. She also urged exit interviews and ongoing professional development.
Why it matters: Hannah's remarks highlight staff concerns about compensation timing, stipend transparency and support for special education programs that affect recruitment and retention.
Ending: "Change doesn't happen overnight but it takes continual accountability from your stakeholders to ensure that we're putting the interest of all our students at the front of our decisions," Hannah said.
