special education instructional facilitator

instructional assistant

teacher

school principal

high school teacher

Leander Independent School District

LISD is an good place to work and begin a career as a teacher. But as an IA, there isn't much room for advancement besides special education, inclusion or behavioral services. I just wish there were more choices as an IA. Even if you get your degree as a teacher, and because you've only been in a sped classroom, that is the only opportunity that they're willing to give you which doesn't seem fair. The staff in the schools are not diverse enough to cater to the culture of students, which brings some disconnect from the teachers. If your not a particular person that they are specifically  looking to hire, then your application will be overlooked. I do think people need to be more accepting of others who aren't in the same socioeconomic class.  When I first went there, it did seem like a cold environment which made me more uncomfortable to be there and unappreciated. Overtime, It got a little bit better, but it was a place that made me a little bit uneasy because some people underestimated my work capabilities. I did meet some good people who made work a little bit less stressful. I do, however, feel that the pay as an IA is not sufficient enough to be able to live comfortably here. The one great thing going to work everyday was the students. I've made many connections and relationships that I will cherish forever!

What is the best part of working at the company?
Coworkers are very supportive. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Lack of team time, great programs being taken away at any moment, salary doesn’t match rising inflation in this district and across our nation, lack of rights for staff , no accountability for parents of children who are aggressive, lack of expulsions, COVID did a lot of damage for three years and students even through college are entering the world behind, emotionally disregulated and unprepared 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Overall it’s team oriented. Everyone would like to make a difference, but due to a lot of red tape, teachers do feel like they can’t teach. The pendulum has gone too much one way with a focus on mental health and obtaining favorable data results. But it’s not just this district, it’s country wide. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Extremely busy especially in elementary. There’s no time to mentally breathe and lunches are way too short. In addition, elementary kiddos do need two recesses. Having one is not developmentally appropriate.

A typical day at work was as you would expect. You plan lesson plans and implement them to your class of 18 or more students. You have a consistent schedule and daily routines that are followed by yourself and your students. The management is hit or miss. Some schools are wonderful and have amazing management that are fully supportive and want you to be your best and others have management that will make you regret every decision you have ever made because they lack the ability to support you and see you as replaceable. The workplace culture also depends on the school. Some schools are amazing and feel like one big family and other schools feel like a cult of witches is out to get you because you can never do anything right. The hardest part of the job was communicating as a schoolwide team and trying to remain on the same page throughout the year with staff and admin. The most enjoyable part was getting to see kids grow both physically and mentally through the year and start to understand new concepts and put their own creative twists on the learning. 

I can only speak for the Transportation department as I'm a School Bus driver.. The good part bout this job is they're train you to get your Class B CDL, and the job is easy to do once you get the hang of things. Also, having a split shift means i no longer need to ask off for a doctors appointment and squeeze it between shifts.

But the down side is nothing is consistent here, you constantly have to ask around for the most current policy changes, like when to clean your bus, student management etc, or procedures on how to do something, like checking your hours, pay, clean your bus, sign up for field trips. And worst of all, no paid holidays, with so many breaks/holiday during the school, many employees here have 2nd jobs to make up for the loss in pay, when you quit you can't withdraw your PTO, and Pay isn't enough for the stress and pressure you deal with the students.

Leander Rouse High School is one of the best education facilities and teams I have had the pleasure to work for. An average for a teacher/coach starts in the early hours of the morning and continues through the late hours of night. Being a teacher requires you to be an educator, a friend, a parent, a disciplinarian, a mentor, a lunch person, shoulder to cry, and a child's advocate. There are many hats and emotions worn on a daily basis that can leave a person revived or drained all in a short period of time. Leander is a district that strives to achieve strong communication and a community environment in both education and local community involvement. The administrators provide support and always have an open door policy. The hours are long and the pay is low, but the positive impact a teacher leaves with a student is the most enjoyable and rewarding part of this career.

I am leaving teaching, because I have to make the choice between doing what I love and being able to survive on retirement income. The hours are long and a second job is the only way to put away extra money in a 401(k) or send kids to college.  I’m at an age where I need to either choose a new profession where I can make up for lost time in retirement savings, or just cross my fingers and hope that I can survive on TRS benefits.  Each year  our healthcare costs go up exorbitantly. I have received a raise for the last three years but I’m taking home less money every year because our healthcare is ridiculously expensive. I’m a teacher with 20 years of experience. My experience is minimally acknowledged  in comparison to first-year teachers compensation wise.  I’m tired of being taken advantage of as a mid-level teacher. I still love teaching but must leave so that I can securely retire one day.

A once-prestigious school district and a destination for families across Greater Austin, LISD and its new leadership have declined to a shocking low point in terms of administration and as an employer.  In an effort to be fair, school decision-making has shifted to the "tail wagging the dog" with students running the show. Children, who are not of a decision-making age in wisdom or experience, are overly-empowered, believed over adults, encouraged to act confrontationally, and putting staff in a position where teachers cannot speak out and advocate on their behalf or even report school ongoings.  The result is more and more incidents being overlooked - and a subsequent increase in the problematic behaviors previously mentioned.  LISD is a hostile and intimidating work environment and I warn my fellow teachers and support staff to seek employment with an alternate school district.  I plan to leave at the end of this school year for the same.

I was a substitute teacher and a clinic assistant. After subbing in the clinics, I was hired as the clinic assistant and that was the most challenging nursing expereince I ever had. The daily tasks of caring for 900 plus students and staff was at times overwhelming. The emergenices such as seizures, allergic reactions, asthmatics, diabetics, mental disabilities, sport injuries, choke victims and accidents was quite a learning experience.
I also had to data enter daily clinic passes, maintain inventory, comunicate with parents and staff. I also did hearing and vision screenings. I also attended staff meetings with head nurse.
I promised to return to school for license, but never found the time or enough money to do so.
Practical Care was probably the best agency for continuing education and working with you about schedules.

I worked for LISD for 5 years and loved the opportunity to teach all of my students. The schools, themselves, are well-built, designed and well-maintained. The district is large, provides training, and technology. My experience with fellow teachers and admins was horrible. The teachers would group together, talk about each other, complain, and talk negatively about students and parents, as well. My administrators acted supportive, but, they really were not at all; and shared personal information that I did not want in public. Also, a huge issue is that the teacher and admin population does NOT mirror the student population. All children need to see themselves in adults of leadership. Leander needs to seek, attract and diversify its staff.

Aside from a few good friendships made here, working at LISD was not a great experience. The HR department is not reliable, and a little shady with how they tell other departments how they can operate, and then break the rules themselves. The culture at the district tends to favor and protect bad employees - people who are derogatory and rude feel emboldened because they know HR won't do anything about them. Projects at LISD are a joke- so much feet dragging and finger pointing and no innovation or sense of teamwork. The only redeeming factor of the district is the new superintendent, he is incredible and truly cares about the students. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Special education instructional facilitator 67 salaries reported	$18.07 per hour
Instructional assistant 48 salaries reported	$17.62 per hour
Teacher 9 salaries reported	$60,222 per year
School principal 23 salaries reported	$87,693 per year
High school teacher 12 salaries reported	$25.25 per hour

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