During an April 28 board meeting, the board voted to postpone the approval of salary increases after district staff unexpectedly changed their recommendation from a 3% salary increase to a 4% increase the afternoon of the meeting.
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 election, all staff and teachers are guaranteed at least a 3% pay increase each year starting with the 2021-22 school year over the next four years, said Bobbi Supak, CISD assistant superintendent for human resources.
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 the starting teacher salary to $50,500.
Following the presentation, Superintendent Andrew Kim announced staff had changed their recommendation to pursue a higher salary increase 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 more than 30%, according to the Comal County Appraisal District.
Though appraised values are not finalized, CISD Chief Financial Officer Crystal Hermesch said her team believes the district can afford to give staff a 4% raise if the final appraisal rate increase is 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 consider whether they will renew their contracts.
Jason York, board president and trustee for District 3, expressed concerns 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,” York said April 28. “This is the one thing we have control over as governance and oversight. ... Let's show that we're serious about closing this pay gap.”
Following discussions at the May 3 special meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve the 4% increase. Through the change, the starting teacher pay in the district will rise to $51,200, and the district is expected to allocate $7.85 million for compensation increases in the 2022-23 budget.
Hermesch expects to bring a balanced budget to the board for consideration in June. The proposed budget includes approximately $10 million in new staffing requests, including $4.98 million previously approved by the board to hire staff needed to address campus growth.
The board will hold a budget workshop May 10 before adopting the budget in June.
