Lake Travis ISD OKs salary increase of 2% of pay grade midpoint along with one-time payment

Lake Travis ISD officials approved salary adjustments for the 2020-21 school year during a June 17 virtual board meeting. Trustees unanimously approved a raise for all staff reflecting a 2% increase of their pay grade midpoint.

Each position within the district is structured with a minimum, midpoint and maximum salary or hourly rate, and the raise is factored based on each position's midpoint.

For teachers, this decision represents a raise of approximately $1,100, according to a June 17 letter from Superintendent Brad Lancaster. Adjustments for non-teachers will vary per position and pay grade.

Additionally, LTISD has approved a one-time payment of 2% of the midpoint salary, which would also translate to about $1,000 per teacher.

The one-time payment was extended out of surplus funds from the 2019-20 budget, according to Evalene Murphy, LITSD assistant superintendent for human resource services. During the June 17 meeting, Murphy said the additional payment may help offset any health benefit increases employees have experienced.

Annually, LTISD evaluates compensation increases at area school districts as well as the district’s own budget capacity, Lancaster wrote in his letter.

“Looking at our salaries we feel 2% will help us remain in the upper quartile of teacher salaries,” Murphy said.

Adjustments will become effective in July, August or September, depending on the employee’s calendar start date.