In November voters approved a Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election that increased the district’s maintenance and operations tax rate on the condition that the district would utilize revenue generated to raise staff pay and to hire new positions.
Through the VATRE, all staff and teachers will receive a 3% pay increase each year, starting with the 2021-22 school year, over the next four years, said Bobbi Supak, assistant superintendent for human resources.
The VATRE afforded auxiliary personnel a $1.50 hourly pay increase during the 2021-22 school year, followed by a 3% increase each year for three years, she said.
During the April 28 meeting, Supak presented the board members with the proposed compensation plan for the 2022-23 school year that included additional teaching positions, increased stipends for some extracurricular coordinators and the 3% raise that would increase starting teacher salary to $50,500.
Following the presentation, Superintendent Andrew Kim announced that staff had changed their recommendation to pursue a higher salary increase as a result of high property appraisals across the district.
“We think we can go in and actually recommend another percent. So instead of a 3% to a 4% across the board,” Kim said.
While the board had been expecting to approve the 3% increase, Kim said he and his staff reevaluated the district’s ability to afford a higher raise after property appraisals for Comal County were provided to the district.
Between 2021 and 2022 the projected taxable value of property in Comal County increased by 38%, according to the Comal County Appraisal District.
Though appraised values are not finalized, Crystal Hermesch, chief financial officer for the district, said her team believes the district can afford to give staff a 4% raise even if the appraisal rate increase dropped to 30% year over year.
Typically school districts do not approve compensation plans until June when school boards set their new annual budget, Hermesch said. However, district officials opted to present the plan early as teachers are considering whether to renew their contracts.
Jason York, board president and trustee for District 3, expressed concerns that the district would not be able to compete for employees as several area school districts have recently announced salary increases.
“We've got contract renewals here. This is the time that teachers, coaches, staff, every aspect is looking out there, elsewhere,” he said. “... Let's show that we're serious about closing this pay gap.”
If the 4% raise was approved, Kim said starting teacher pay would increase to $51,200. The district currently has some of the lowest teacher salaries in the region, according to the Texas Education Agency.
While the board was united in the goal of raising teacher pay, some trustees voiced frustration at having been presented with the change without time to review the data.
“I think we can all agree that yes, teachers do extremely hard work, and they could probably be paid in general across the nation better,” District 1 Trustee Time Hennessee said. “I am uncomfortable, however, [with] being presented with a 1% increase this evening and being asked to vote for that. ... I understand that tonight is the night where we can really make an impact. But walking in tonight I already thought we were going to be making an impact at 3%.”
Following some discussion, the board eventually voted to postpone their decision and set a tentative May 3 meeting date ahead of a scheduled May 10 budget workshop.
Trustees Courtney Biasatti, Marty Bartlett, Russell Garner and Hennessee voted in favor of postponing the decision while Michelle Ross and York voted against the measure. Trustee Cody Mueller was absent.
Ahead of the tentative May 3 meeting Hermesch said board members would be provided with information and data evaluating the district’s ability to afford the 4% raise.
“I absolutely want to support this. I'm sure the analysis is going to show us that we can support it. But I would like to see the analysis,” Garner said. “But we were not given the information to study prior to. And so I'm not doing my duty as a trustee if I don't get to at least do some analysis and see it like we have done for every other thing I've done since I've been up here as a trustee.”
