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Wichita Public Schools reports 117 teacher vacancies, highlights recruitment and benefit costs
Summary
District human-resources staff told the board the district is managing 117 teaching vacancies and significant paraeducator openings as recruitment ramps up; benefits cost roughly $70 million annually and the district emphasized partnerships with universities and pipeline programs.
Wichita Public Schools’ human-resources update on March 9 detailed ongoing staffing challenges and the district’s strategies for hiring and retention.
Steven, the district HR presenter, said the district was tracking 117 teaching vacancies and about 60 paraeducator vacancies as it plans for the 2026–27 school year; in-week hires and recruitment events reduced some openings but HR stressed every vacancy affects classroom coverage. The district reported about a 9% turnover among certified teachers and noted 480 teacher transfers between buildings last year, a dynamic that creates downstream vacancies.
The district’s benefits costs are substantial: Steven said employee benefits represent roughly a $70,000,000 annual investment and that nearly half of eligible employees participate in a base premium plan with no employee premium—an unusual feature compared with peers. HR also said the district is the highest-paying bachelor-entry K–12 employer in the area on starting pay and uses step schedules with relatively quick progression to maximum pay.
Recruitment actions and pipeline: district officials described active partnerships with Wichita State and other local colleges, alternative certification programs, and a future-teacher academy. Steven said the district signed 11 open contracts with student teachers and hosted dozens of recruitment events; the early pipeline and local partnerships are presented as key mitigation strategies.
Board members asked about the fiscal and staffing implications of policy alternatives discussed in public comment. Steven estimated that reducing elementary classes to an average of 17 pupils would require roughly 300 additional FTEs at an approximate annual cost (salary plus benefits) of about $23,000,000, and additional support positions such as assistant principals and paraeducators would add to that figure.
Next steps: HR said it will continue recruitment and retention efforts, expand paraprofessional training, run exit and stay surveys to inform retention, and return to the board with ongoing metrics. The board thanked HR for the data and raised follow-up questions about mid-career retention and sustained supports for paraeducators.
