Board agrees to spend $52 million in savings to fund across-the-board pay raises
Early Friday morning, the ϱ ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a $1.86 billion budget for the 2023–24 fiscal year, which starts on July 1.
The budget includes $940 million in recapture payments to the state, about 50% of the district’s total expenditures for the year.
On May 18, the trustees approved across-the-board pay raises for all district teachers and staff for the 2023–24 school year. Trustees agreed to spend $52 million of district savings to fund the pay increase.
“Our commitment to increased pay is already showing strong results. This time last year, the district faced about 1,000 teacher vacancies. Today, we have just 80 vacancies. When our students return in August, we expect every campus to be staffed with the highly-qualified teachers, librarians, principals, counselors, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians who are essential to every child’s success,” this week in the ϱ American-Statesman.
The new compensation package provides meaningful raises for all teachers and staff:
- $4 per hour flat raise for all classified employees (AUX, IS, NIS, IT, BD, PD pay scales), bringing the minimum hourly rate to $20/hour.
- 7% increase for teachers, librarians, counselors, instructional coaches, and Special Education-related services (employee receives the better of the percentage increase or placement on the new step).
- 5% increase for Administrative Professionals AP1–AP12 (up to high school principals and directors) and 3% increase for AP13–16 (executive directors and above) based on midpoint.
- Above-market adjustments for Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs) and Ed Diagnosticians.
- Increased stipends for bilingual and Special Education staff to $7,000 each, with an expansion of which positions qualify.