PHOENIX. - Five new billboards have popped up across the Valley, targeting Arizona's teachers.
"It might be a big chance to make money for your family," said Arizona Education Association Vice President Marisol Garcia.
The billboards are the new marketing strategy of Texas' Fort Worth Independent School District. Dr. Kent Scribner is the superintendent there. The former head of the Phoenix Union High School District is trying to take advantage of Arizona's recent education crisis and recruit some of our teachers.
"Arizona used to be that place. We talk to teachers everyday that have taught 15, 17 years in Arizona that left places like Nevada to come to Arizona and they had competitive salaries. That is a historical story at this point," Garcia said.
The signs read, "Your future is in a Fort Worth classroom." But the big number next to "Teacher Starting Salary" has teachers talking.
"Our starting salary for teachers is $52,000. So our campaign is aimed not only at teachers but those that just graduated," said Fort Worth ISD spokesman Clint Bond.
In comparison, starting teacher salary in Arizona can be anywhere in the low to mid $30-thousands to the low to mid $40 thousands, depending on the district.
"We are losing and bleeding teachers to places like Fort Worth," said Garcia.
Governor Ducey's office responded with the following statement:
"It's no surprise Texas is after our teachers. They are the best in the country. Governor Ducey wants to do everything we can to keep great teachers here in the state of Arizona. Between the Arizona Teachers Academy, which offers free college tuition to aspiring teachers, and the Governor's plan to provide 20 percent pay raises for teachers by school year 2020, Arizona is working hard to attract and retain high-quality teachers. You're beginning to see school districts pass these raises in their budgets, and there's no doubt these raises were earned by our teachers."
The Arizona Education Association calls the 20 by 2020 plan just a "drop in the bucket" compared to what they deserve.
"We know that we will keep moving until we see competitive salaries where they should be," Garcia said.
Fort Worth tried this same move in Oklahoma following their teacher walkout earlier this year. The district's spokesperson tells 12 News it worked. They've already hired several teachers from there.