Hourly pay rates across districts[/caption]

The district adopted an $11 minimum wage at the Sept. 28 board of trustees meeting. The move increased the starting pay for some of its nonteaching staff.

“We have found that it is very difficult for us to recruit and maintain a high-quality workforce in those areas with our starting rates,” said Yolanda Edmond, assistant superintendent for KISD human resources.

In a Sept. 21 presentation to the board, Edmond detailed the starting pay for staff, including custodians, groundskeepers, bus attendants and food service workers as well as how pay rates compared with other districts.

“We are below market by 11.5 percent on our starting salary for custodians,” Edmond said.

Starting pay for groundskeepers was 17.2 percent below market average. Starting pay for the two groups was $9.83 per hour, she said.

“With a starting salary of $9.83, the only district that is below us is Fort Bend ISD at $9.02,” Edmond said during the presentation.

In most cases, KISD custodian and groundskeeper salaries were lower in comparison to nearby districts, including Spring Branch, Fort Bend, Cy-Fair and Alief ISDs.

Edmond said wages for food service workers and bus attendants were standard for the industry, but a subsequent bump in pay for those workers and paraprofessionals, including receptionists and physical education aides, would be requested so their starting wage would be above the $11 minimum and keep within a pay grade that is higher than custodians and groundskeepers.

“We’re really asking for the district to approve a new wage of $11 per hour so we can recruit and maintain a high-quality workforce in our auxiliary departments,” Edmond said.