Northwest ISD trustees discuss pay raises, one-time retention payments for employees

The Northwest ISD board of trustees discussed potential pay raises and a one-time retention payment for full-time employees at its Jan. 10 meeting.

In order to “maintain a competitive and effective compensation plan,” the board looked at a resolution that would create a 3% midpoint pay raise for all employees, along with increases to the teacher hiring schedule and daily guest educator and nurse rates, according to the agenda item.

The budget change of a 3% midpoint pay increase would be $5.2 million, while the increase in guest educator rates would change the budget by $250,000, the agenda item stated. When comparing NISD’s teacher salaries for the 2021-22 school year against other school districts, the data showed NISD mostly falling on the lower end.

For example, the district’s 2021-22 starting teacher salary is $56,500, said Kim Barker, NISD executive director of human resources. In comparison to some of the other districts, Fort Worth ISD’s starting teacher salary is $58,000; Lewisville ISD’s is $56,925; Keller ISD’s is $56,800; and Grand Prairie ISD’s is $57,250.

“We really used to be at the top,” Barker said. “We've absolutely come down a little farther than we need to be. So we do have some ground to make up to remain competitive as well.”

To keep up with competition, the board of trustees is considering increasing the new-hire salary for someone with zero years of experience to $58,250, while a new hire with 30 or more years of experience would receive a $71,940 salary, with the other years falling in between. For the guest educator and nurse rates, the district is looking at increasing the daily rates by about $5 to $10, depending on the position.

The board also looked at approving a one-time retention payment of $500 for all existing employees “meeting certain retention criteria” that would be disbursed in June 2022, according to the agenda item.

To be eligible for the payment, an NISD employee must be employed full-time and on the district payroll no later than Jan. 3, 2022, and remain full-time and in good standing on May 26, 2022.

According to the agenda item, the one-time payment is meant to fulfill a number of purposes, such as increasing retention of existing employees, improving staff recruitment, promoting staff morale and rewarding employees working through the hardships caused by the pandemic.

The NISD board will not officially vote on the potential pay raises and one-time retention payments until its Jan. 24 meeting.