like the mental health initiative, creating a network that recognizes student success depends on more than academic instruction alone. Staff wellness receives equal attention. “We just recently paid for gym memberships for all our staff, for some health and wellness support there for them,” Mason notes. This dual approach addresses what many rural Texas districts struggle with; nearly 75 percent of new hires in rural areas during the 2023-24 school year were unlicensed, and turnover remains high when teachers face challenging conditions without adequate support. By investing in mental health access for students and physical wellness for staff, Quitman builds infrastructure that sustains its educational mission beyond crisis response into ongoing prevention and care. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATORS Teacher recruitment remains fiercely competitive across Texas, where rural districts start beginning salaries $15,000 to $27,000 lower than their suburban counterparts. Quitman ISD confronts this challenge through a combination of financial incentives and intangible assets that money alone cannot replicate. “We just implemented the first round of TIA, which is the teacher incentive allotment,” says Jeffery Tittle, high school principal.“That’s going to aid, but I think the teachers that come to Quitman and work here, it’s because they’re bound to this area regionally and are local.” Beyond compensation, the district offers what Tittle describes as an environment that distinguishes itself even among similar rural communities. “We have great administration, we have a great community, we have great students,” he explains.“And so, as they get here, they recognize this is an area that is not necessarily unique in retrospect to East Texas and rural, but it’s special.” That quality stems from what he calls good communities with good families and hardworking people who ultimately produce good kids. The hiring philosophy prioritizes passion over credentials alone. “We want them to have a love and passion, not just for their content, but for students foremost,” Tittle says. “And building those 318 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11
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