Friendswood ISD employees will receive a 1.5% increase in pay this year—and teachers could receive more—after the district’s board approved a new salary plan at its July 17 meeting.

In a nutshell

FISD officials were considering three possible options for this year’s salary plan, according to district documents. Along with a $0.50 increase in custodial pay and an adjustment to transportation workers’ pay scale, the options included:

• A 2% increase in pay for employees, costing the district a little under $1 million
• A 1.5% increase in pay for employees along with a one-time conditional 2% increase for teachers and nonteacher professionals, costing the district about $1.46 million
• A 1% increase in pay for employees, costing the district about $542,000

Custodial and transportation workers are not included in these percentage increases as they are paid using a separate pay scale, officials said at the meeting.

The board approved the second option in a unanimous vote.

The context

Much like other districts, the board’s conversation July 17 was tied to the impact any raise could have on the budget and what the state might do.

Option two was the most expensive and could lead to a total budget shortfall of anywhere from $1.5 million to about $3.8 million, according to district documents.

The 2% conditional raise will depend on the financial climate in the coming months, officials said at the meeting. This includes whether the district calls a voter-approved tax rate election, also known as a VATRE, in August and if voters then approve it in November.

The decision July 17 also came as FISD sits close to the bottom of the list in teacher pay compared to other area districts, according to district documents.

What they’re saying

Board President Tony Hopkins at the July 17 meeting said the unknowns surrounding potential state action made the decision more challenging. If a bill passed required more teacher pay, he was worried the district might get stuck with “a raise on top of a raise.”

Superintendent Thad Roher noted other school districts are passing raises—some conditional—to help teachers keep up with the cost of living.

“I feel like we need to do the same,” Roher said.

Trustees David Montz and Rebecca Hillenberg said they liked option two for the teachers. Montz said he felt the 1.5% increase with the possibility of more money gave the district “more control.”

“We all know how little the people we depend on work for,” Hillenberg said. “We want them to feel valued.”