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Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Outofstater on 5/2/2026, 4:01 pm

Hi! Wondering if you all could help me. I am trying to move to Texas because that is where we want to go. I am in my sixth year in small schools in another state, and have applied for about 12 jobs and have not had a single interview. I have applied for the Texas license and barring fingerprints, which I am getting next week, I almost have my one year license. I have been applying since February and have heard nothing besides a couple of acknowledgements that I applied. No interviews. I also notice there are no middle school assistant woodwind things open. Anyone have any advice? Do I just need to wait longer? Will more things open? Do out of state people tend to get hired last? I am currently homeless come August because I have nothing lined up for next year and I have been trying. Maybe this is a waiting game here.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Honcho on 5/5/2026, 1:56 pm, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

12 applications isn't a lot. I've put in 16 so far and I'm tied to one specific area. I probably put in somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 applications for my first job.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by OP on 5/6/2026, 4:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

Holy cow! I guess I gotta suck it up, then, haha.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Director X on 5/4/2026, 1:58 pm, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

The "Churn" is just really getting started...although I'll admit that I've seen a lot of 5A/6A head positions just now/recently being posted that one would think would have been taken care of by TMEA in February.

Anyway...

While it does help to know someone, the "Good 'Ol Boys Club" isn't nearly as strong as it was when I moved to Texas 27 years ago (look up the term "rump state" and you'll get the picture).

Don't limit yourself to any single region of the state unless you have a legitimate reason for doing so...like a spouse that already has a job or a family commitment where you need to be in the area.

Many small schools, especially in West Texas, struggle finding directors. Some people say that we have a "director shortage", but that isn't the case. We have a lot of directors graduating from school every year. The problem is that a lot of the more "prestigious" colleges look down their nose at small schools, and flat out tell their students that any school smaller than 5A or 3C is "beneath" them, and not worth their time applying for. Part of the problem is that these colleges are not training band directors per se, but they are training "specialists" where the kid only knows how to teach their own instrument, and don't know what to do if they were in a band hall by themselves without any help, and the only person who can teach the kids how to play their instruments is the one director for the district. The other part of the problem is that these colleges want to stroke their own egos and say "look at how many of our students get jobs at the big schools".

Don't be afraid to go out to the rural areas...some of our finest and most successful band directors started in small schools and worked their way up.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by DesertJazz on 5/5/2026, 9:07 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

I would just add one thing - some of our finest and most successful directors have also found a home with small schools and chosen to make their careers there. You don't have to 'work your way up' the number of 'A's' with your title to have a fantastic career!

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by percone on 5/4/2026, 8:06 am, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

It's very early in the process, Things will start shaking loose soon. If you don't have a gig by July, Make sure you go to TBA and check with the job services they offer. Check the TBA job board and look at the ISD websites were you want to teach. Sometimes jobs aren't listed on TMEA.
Hope this helps

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Respectfully on 5/4/2026, 8:52 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

It's not early in the process anymore.

Phase 1 happens in January-March, when new schools or new positions are hiring for for next year.

Phase 2 is the retirement wave, which happens February through April.

Phase 3 is the "fill the vacancies caused by Phase 1-2" phase, happens usually until early May.

Phase 4 is the "I'm choosing to find a new job outside teaching, and those jobs open in March and April, usually after UIL.

Phase 5 is the musical chairs phase, coinciding/overlapping slightly with Phases 3-4, where people go from one position to another. It lasts until school starts. We're in Phase 5.

Phase 6 is the "last minute hires" phase for those vacancies whose candidates chose another job or for positions that came open unexpectedly for various reasons, this one lasts until September or so.

We're not early in the process anymore, even if there's still a lot of jobs to be filled.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Um... on 5/4/2026, 2:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

There are way more job openings in phases 5 & 6 than the other phases.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Mr. Dude on 5/5/2026, 10:37 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

I think the correct way to see this is "there are way more jobs open to the general public" in phases 5 & 6. A lot of phase 1 & 2 jobs usually have their successors lined up or at least a pretty good idea.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by ovwrkdnundrpd on 5/4/2026, 7:55 am, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

Most people I know get here then get a job. Its alot about who you know from my perspective. If you know anyone from texas, band director, ask them to put in a word for you. Have you looked on the TMEA website? There are jobs opening every day. A lot of school are not in a hurry to hire unless its athletice (hope I didn't step on toes there). My job has been open for over a month and they are just now interviewing. I'm retiring. So it could be just that. They are not in a hurry, but you can always call back and ask where they are.

Don't lose hope.....good luck.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by DesertJazz on 5/3/2026, 10:51 am, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

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!

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by OP on 5/4/2026, 10:53 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

Thank you so much. I am freaked out because I am hearing nothing. It sounds like I need to have a bit more patience, but that freaks me out because if I don't find anything, I'm up a creek. It also wigs me out that I have applied for so much but haven't heard anything. But this makes me feel a bit less stressed, so thank you.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Percguy on 5/4/2026, 4:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

When I moved to Texas with one year of experience, I submitted 54 applications. I only got two requests for interviews, and they both happened at TBA in late July. I got hired because the person who was offered the job before me failed the background check. My best advice is to be patient, be willing to take anything to get your foot in the door, and have a backup plan (subbing, teaching private lessons, etc.). Good luck!

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by And... on 5/5/2026, 8:02 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

...without overdoing it, it doesn't hurt to be a little assertive if looking at TBA. One year my position got downsized, and things were looking slim. Still looking at TBA, and I was in the Job Bank area, and I overheard another director venting because the person he wanted to interview for an assistant position hadn't shown up, and was now 30 minutes late. He was about to leave, and I stepped up and said, "Excuse me, sir. I couldn't help but overhear that you're looking for an assistant. If the other person isn't here, I would be more than happy to talk to you about the position", and then I handed him my resume.

45 minutes later, I was looking for a new apartment because I had a job; learned a lot in those 5 years there.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by JGibson on 5/3/2026, 9:55 am, in reply to "Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

I'm guessing you have researched the TMEA job vacancy board. Also it is still early. Band jobs tend to open later in May. Does your search include small schools (A, AA, AAA) in West Texas? Many outstanding programs.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by OP on 5/4/2026, 10:55 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

I don't care where we go. I would love to be in San Antonio eventually, but I understand that might not happen yet, and that is okay. But even with small schools, there is nothing yet. But what I have applied for, I haven't heard back from. But wherever would work for now.

And thank you. I guess I have to wait a little longer, but it is stressful.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Have on 5/5/2026, 8:52 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

Have you come to SA to take a tour of possible commute, neighborhoods, things to do etc.? The construction is horrendous and a 20 mile drive will likely take 50 min plus. I live about 25 miles south of San Antonio and work on the upper northwest side, not as a teacher. I have coworkers who live 25 miles closer to work than me and it takes them the same time as me to get here. The job market is not good here, for all kinds of jobs. In 2021 I was trying to get at least an elementary job after teaching MS and HS for 7 years and I couldn't find a job. I went to apartment leasing, found a job bc I knew someone, eventually left teaching all together.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by OP on 5/5/2026, 10:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

Dang, I’m sorry. 😞

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Have on 5/7/2026, 8:41 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

No need

I live in the country. I'm just saying, be aware and prepared. If you can't come visit, you could map commutes from possible areas you might live in to districts and schools you are interested in. It takes me close to an hour to travel 45 miles and I leave work at 4. I get here at 6:30 and it takes about 42 minutes.

Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews

Posted by Me on 5/5/2026, 7:30 am, in reply to "Re: Timing of applications for out of state people and interviews"

STAAR and MAP are just now finishing up. Admin is more worried about that than about filling positions for next year.

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