The approved raise applies to teachers and staff who are not covered by the state's teacher incentive allotment program, according to district documents. District officials said the 1.5% increase was the only option presented at the June 9 meeting that kept the budget balanced for next fiscal year.
“We would all love to pay our teachers the highest level that we can,” Chief Human Resources Officer Kelly Mires said. “To be fiscally responsible for district funding, to ensure that we have a balanced budget and [to] plan for unintended increases and costs that may come up during the school year, this would be our recommendation.”
The teacher allotment program gives GCISD teachers with three or more years of experience pay increases. The pay raise was a part of House Bill 2, which was passed in the 89th Texas Legislature June 4. Moak Casey, a company that aids Texas schools with state funding calculations, estimated HB 2 will give GCISD $6.1 million and require the district to allocate $3.88 million to the teacher allotment program. The rest of the anticipated state revenue has been allocated to the district’s maintenance and operation fund.
The board also expressed interest in giving a one-time bonus to teachers and staff if the district receives extra funds, GCISD Superintendent Brad Schnautz said.
