Trustees approve salary increases for Friendswood ISD employees

District employees will see pay increases under Friendswood ISD’s 2022-23 school year salary plan, which the board of trustees approved during its June 13 meeting.

Starting teacher salaries, which includes teachers with a bachelor's degree and four or less years of experience, will now earn $56,807 in the 2022-23 school year after the 1% board-approved increase, according to FISD Public Information Officer Dayna Owen.

Additionally, trustees approved a 1% salary increase for most existing district employees, according to agenda documents. This includes administrators, teachers, non-teaching professionals, auxiliary and support staff. All new staff hired for the 2022-23 school year will also receive the 1% increase.

Custodial and maintenance employees will receive a $0.25 per hour pay increase. Employees will see these increases on their paychecks beginning in August.

“This year's salary plan balances concerns about the district's budgets this year and next year with the need to stay competitive with neighboring districts' salary structure,” FISD board President Tony Hopkins said in an emailed statement from the district. “I believe the plan struck the correct balance between those two competing objectives.”

Five board members voted in favor of the motion with Rebecca Hillenburg and Ralph Hobratschk absent from the vote.

The total salary plan will cost an additional $2.3 million. This includes $1.1 million allocated for salaries of 23 new staff members, according to the district’s proposed salary plan.

Of these increases, $2.1 million will be drawn from the district’s general fund, with the remaining amount covered by federal funding, according to agenda documents.