SSD officials say international hires cost the district no additional funds; 10 international teachers joined this year

Dr. Molly Bolton, SSD's chief of teaching, learning and accountability, told the governing council the district has hired 10 international teachers for the year and "there is no additional financial impact associated with hiring international teachers." She said the hires followed the district's standard interview and hiring process and that international recruits must also obtain J-1 cultural exchange visas, which require additional government screening.

Bolton described the recruitment process and the vendor relationship: SSD contracted with an agency originally named Alliance Abroad that has since consolidated and now operates as Teachers Lounge. "They did sponsor myself as well as Dr. Lyles ... to take a trip to the Philippines. It was a very very quick trip ... and we did interviews while we were there," she said, noting one plane ticket and lodging were paid by the agency and another plane ticket was paid from non-taxpayer dollars.

Why it matters: The council discussed teacher vacancies and staffing solutions as part of the district's broader budget conversations. Bolton said SSD currently has 10 international hires this year (eight from the Philippines, one from Kenya, one from Colombia) and that the district provided pre-arrival training on U.S. laws and the IEP process to support classroom readiness.

Board members asked about financial impacts and logistics; Bolton repeated that SSD elected not to pay J-1 visa costs for recruits and that international teachers follow the same pay and onboarding process as other teachers. She also pointed to other districts' experience (Dallas ISD) as a model for international recruitment programs.

Bolton invited further questions and said she would provide additional follow-up if council members needed more specifics about the process or costs.