Spring ISD leaders propose $2K-$3K employee retention bonuses for 2023-24 school year

Spring ISD administrators have proposed $10.6 million in employee retention bonuses to be awarded to staff who return for the 2023-24 school year.

The breakdown: The retention stipends would be paid in one sum on employees’ Aug. 25 paycheck, SISD’s Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks said during a May 4 board of trustees meeting. Westbrooks said the proposed incentive payments would award:

• $3,000 to teachers with 10 or more years of experience—at SISD or at another district;
• $2,500 to teachers with five to nine years of experience; and
• $2,000 to all district staff.

The bonuses would be paid for with the district’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II grant, which is federally funded.

The estimated $10.6 million cost assumes a 95% retention rate for employees, Westbrooks said.

Quote of note: “Before, we split the payment over two semesters, but we don't have that luxury because the ESSER [II] funds are about to expire,” Westbrooks said.

ESSER II funds are set to expire Sept. 30, and the grants were awarded to school districts beginning March 13, 2020, according to the Texas Education Agency’s website.

In case you missed it: SISD paid employees a similar retention incentive package for the 2022-23 school year. Originally approved in April 2022, the package awarded about $7.8 million in bonuses to teachers, according to SISD.

Trustees took no action on the incentives at the May 4 or 9 board meetings.