“This is really an unprecedented time for us when it comes to looking at salary increases for our employees because we have so many other factors going on,” said Evalene Murphy, the district’s assistant superintendent for employee and community relations. “We have staffing shortages nationally, our geographical concerns, our housing concerns, the inflation. It’s just kind of a storm of what’s hitting our employees.”
The raise will put the district budget at a $2.22 million deficit for fiscal year 2022-23. The Texas Education Agency recommends districts maintain 20%-25% of their unassigned fund balance, said Pam Sanchez, the district’s assistant superintendent of business services. In comparison, LTISD maintains 47% of their unassigned fund balance. The district likes to maintain at least three months of operating funds available at all times, Sanchez said.
“A [chief financial officer] would never recommend a huge deficit if it’s not needed. So I am comfortable, assuming we get out of this time, and this does set us up for future years,” Sanchez said. “But then [we should] go back to what we [can] afford down the line. I don’t think our budget could handle this every year, so I don’t want that to be an expectation.”
The district issued a 2% midpoint raise for all staff in fiscal year 2020-21, in addition to 3% and 2% one-time payments for all staff. In fiscal year 2019-20, the district approved 4%-5.3% midpoint raises to all staff, in addition to a 4% one-time payment to all staff with the exception of administration, who received a 2% one-time payment.
Prior to the pandemic, the district issued a 2%-3% midpoint raise for all staff and 0.5%-1% one-time payments annually since fiscal year 2014-15, with the exception of fiscal year 2016-17, when no one-time payment was issued.
