Eanes ISD staff will not get raises for the 2020-21 school year

Faced with a potential budget shortfall of more than $3 million, staff at Eanes ISD will not receive any salary or benefit increases for the upcoming school year.

The board of trustees voted during a June 23 meeting to freeze salaries, stipends and supplemental pay rates in light of significant budgetary restrictions. EISD will continue monthly contributions to employees’ benefits plans.

This decision was made as a strategy to reduce the district’s overall expenses and to potentially preserve as many staff positions as possible, according to information from EISD.

The reduction plan also includes a decision to reduce by 10 full time or equivalent staff, or FTE—a move EISD officials say could occur through natural attrition as a result of staff retirements.

“We wish that we could have given everyone a raise,” EISD trustee Heather Sheffield said. “I think everybody that listened to this meeting knows where we’re at financially. ... We love and appreciate our staff."

Trustee John Havenstrite echoed Sheffield’s comments and noted that EISD was able to retain more employees by not providing raises.

The district still reserves the right to amend the 2020-21 compensation and benefits plan at any point, per the terms of the agreement.