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Jan 12, 2009 10:05 pm US/Central
DISD In Need Of 200 Teachers In Special Subjects
Reporting
Jack Fink
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A group of parents wants private school students to give the Dallas public school system a chance.
About 1,400 students fill the halls and classrooms of Dallas' Woodrow Wilson High School. On the streets surrounding the sEven though the district laid of 375 teachers earlier this school year, the Dallas Independent School District says it really needs to hire two hundred more teachers.
According to officials, the district needs teachers in certain subject areas and no one certified to teach them was laid off this year. Those subjects are in math, science and bilingual education.
Superintendent Michael Hinijosa says the district needs to get a jump start for next year.
"It's those positions where we don't have plenty of applicants for," said Dr. Hinijosa. "That's why we have to be more progressive at getting them hired."
After ten years of having a job in the private sector, Jason Taylor is now considering teaching high school math in DISD. He and about 100 others came to an information meeting Monday to find out about the requirements.
"Actually, I've been a financial planner and stock broker, but with economy being the way it is, it's a little bit rough," said Taylor.
Those who are hired for the specialized positions will have to get certified in their subjects in one year.
The president of a local teacher's union says the district should, but does not have a policy to recall teachers who were laid off.
"The district should make those who were released first priority," said Rena Honea with Alliance AFT. "If they're willing to be recertified in one of these critical need areas, they should be at the front of the line."
Superintendent Hinijosa said the district will probably have to hire about 1,000 teachers for next year, mainly because of attrition. But he insists the 375 who were laid off would be at the top of the list for those considered for the new jobs.
chool, there are signs in yards calling out to students who have Wilson as their neighborhood school, but whose families opted for a private education elsewhere.
Alex Horne transferred to Wilson this year.
"They want a make up of the whole neighborhood," he said. "They want it to be present at Woodrow, and it's not."
The school's Parent Teacher Association initiated a "Choose Woodrow" plan to recruit upper income families.
Over 50-percent of the school's current student body is defined as economically disadvantaged.
"Our goal was to contact people like us, who can afford to send their kids anywhere in the country, but decided to send them to Woodrow, to better the neighborhood," said Bobbi Willhite, PTA recruiter.
The school's stellar academic reputation and strong advanced placement courses is being used as a "Choose Woodrow" tool when pitching to families who may be re-evaluating the costs of private school in this current economic climate.
So far the campaign seems to be working as more students like Horne make the choice to move to Wilson.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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