The Dripping Springs ISD board of trustees agreed to a 2022-23 budget June 27, boosting salaries for teachers and raising the minimum hourly wage in the district to $15.

District officials said the raise is aimed at retaining teachers

“We’re not paying our staff what they’re worth; we’re just not,” said Barbara Stroud, who has been a member of the school board since 2008.

The $101 million budget includes a 7% raise for educators based on median salary and a 7% raise for clerical and other staff based on pay grade midpoint. Administrative and professional staff will see a 4% pay bump.

The district will also pay a $20 million recapture payment to the state.