Limited IQ Redneck in PU said:
40 years ago I looked around for my first teaching job and was surprised to find Midway was one of the lowest paying district in the county. Temple, Waco and McGregor all paid a chunk more. I didnt talk to any others but was told Midway was the lowest. The logic was at that time teachers were willing to be paid less for getting to work in the best school in the county.
Now when I read what you said bout teachers leaving Midway taking a pay cut I didnt believe it. Midway is still a good district IMO, but it isnt head and shoulders over the rest. Houston pays a lot more. Schools in McLennan county also pay more. Midway is at or near the bottom.
District
'21-'22 starting pay
'22-'23 starting pay
Waco ISD
$50,250
$51,475
Temple ISD
$50,900
$52,500
Midway ISD
$46,100
$47,100
Belton ISD
$51,400
$53,500
Killeen ISD
$52,000
$56,160
Copperas Cove ISD
$50,000
$53,000
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-places-to-teach/c/mclennan-county-tx/
Midway is at or near the bottom of those select schools.
But the majority of teachers leaving Midway or wanting to leave Midway are not going to drive to Temple, Belton, Killeen or Copperas Cove. I would bet the vast majority would want to stay in the Waco area.
Most don't want to go to WISD and deal with those headaches.
But when you look at the schools just in the immediate area and county they are at the top. Below is pay scale for this year from each districts webpage:
Midway- $48,400
McGregor- 42,000
Lorena- 44,100
Robinson- 46,000
La Vega- 48,940Connally- 46,700
Gatesville- 40,160
Moody-44,200
Bruceville Eddy- No current pay scale on their site
China Spring-41,000
Waco- 52,975Bosqueville- 35,660
Gholson- No pay information on their site
West- 44,500
Reisel- 43,000
Oglesby- 36,000
Axtell- 41,487
Crawford- 41,200
Hallsburg- 40,000
So just in the most immediate are they are third highest. Even if you add in the other 4 Midway is still towards the top and as I said many teachers are probably not wanting to drive long distances to work or to work for those districts as they pay higher due to more issues/ trouble getting and keeping teachers.