Located in Athens, Texas, Athens ISD covers around 210 square miles of Henderson County. With 1 high school, 1 middle school, 1 intermediate school, and 2 elementary schools, the school district has an enrollment of 35,000 students and has 462 teachers, administrators and staff. The salary range for the 2015 - 2016 school year will be from $38,000 - $53,000, depending on years of experience. The district's main goal is to ensure that their students graduate on time and are ready for college and/ or the work industry.

Athens ISD is the first district to have a rural Early College High School in Texas. AISD offers ECHS as a "school within a school" option. With this option, students can simultaneously take dual credit classes and their remaining required classes starting their freshman year. Students will spend half the day taking classes at Trinity Valley Community College and the other half taking their normal classes at Athens High School. Students can then take all of their classes at the college campus. Students can also receive dual credit for classes that will help them obtain their basics such as history, science, English, biology and other sciences, mathematics and more. By graduation, students can meet the Texas graduation requirements and earn an associate’s degree. The district highly encourages 8th graders and their parents to consider attending Early College High School as it can help them get a jump start in the work industry and their college career.

Additionally, Athens High School students have 200 courses to choose from that will assist them in obtaining their college and career goals. Select students can take Honors, Pre-Advanced Placement, and Advance Placement courses which will further challenge them to advanced their critical thinking skills, their creativity, and introduce them to the rigorousness they can expect from post-secondary education and / or a high performance work environment. Students can pick classes in a variety of career clusters such as:

• Medicine
• Engineering
• Business
• Marketing
• Education
• Human Resources
• Computer Science and more

Athens ISD's curriculum and structure ensures their students are prepared regardless if they take the higher education route or head straight into the workforce.

Along with teaching in Athens, you will also get a good dose of small town life. If you ever crave for the life of the city every once in while then you are not too far from big cities such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, Waco and Shreveport. Within Athens, you have attractions to keep you occupied such as a scuba park, Henderson County Performing Arts Center, East Texas Arboretum, Fisheries, Henderson County Fair Grounds and more.

Athens ISD is always looking forward to the future and how they can prepare their students for it. Visit the district’s website at www.athensisd.net to learn more about the great things the district does for its students and what you can expect from being an Athens ISD teacher.

If you want to assist Athens ISD in preparing students for the future, then you need to start thinking about how you can obtain your Texas teacher certification. Through the Web Centric Alternative Certification Program you will have access to the tools that will help you start your new career as a teacher. This program allows you to complete the certification process at your own personal pace and around your schedule. To be eligible, you must have at least a 2.5 GPA and conferred bachelor’s degree.