It sounds like you have the right things in process right now. For timing, we tend to see a few waves of openings here.

Wave 1: February/early March - Tend to be retirements - primarily head director openings.

Wave 2: March/April - Non-Renewal openings, people who waited until after UIL.

Wave 3: April/May - These are openings from people who trade up, or may be looking to wait until after spring concerts to announce retirements, etc.

Wave 4: June - these are final openings from people who are shifting around jobs generally.

Wave 5: Last chance openings - far more desperate districts - We have a 45 day deadline to resign from jobs here in Texas before the first instructional day. For most districts that falls around July 4th. Since that happens over most districts being shut down for a week or two, you'll see a lot of last minute openings that next week. Many times Fine Arts Directors/Admins will show up at TBA looking to hire at the last minute. If you haven't gotten a job by then, it's worth your time to go to TBA and maybe run into someone there.


You can move here from out of state! I moved here from New Mexico where I grew up, after getting my degree in Ohio. My assistant I hired from Ohio. I have plenty of neightbors who are also transplants. I think the biggest key is patience, and don't marry yourself to any one region in Texas. If you're willing to take a rural small school job to begin, it'll open up more opportunities.

At least in my region in the Corpus Christi area we're seeing a bunch of openings popping up in the last week or so. I suspect there will be a number of openings here soon you'll see in this next wave. You're doing the right thing with the certification being in process. There is definitely a preference for people who grew up here in a lot of places, but you can get hired here.

Best wishes!