At its June 26 meeting, the board approved a new compensation plan that includes a raise for teachers with 0-2 years of experience, along with all additional staff.
In case you missed it
Eligible auxiliary or non-teaching employees, along with paraprofessional staff members, will receive a raise of 3%, according to a news release. Paraprofessionals are staff members of a local education agency who provide instructional support, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Teachers who qualify for the Teacher Retention Allotment will not receive the 3% raise. The Teacher Retention Allotment was a part of the Texas Legislature's Texas House Bill 2, which passed on June 4. Teachers in their third and fourth years will receive a payment of $1,239, and teachers with 5 plus years of experience will receive $3,739 under the allotment, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
Trustee Courtney Biasatti said the district had to consider what was right for the employees while withstanding the increase from year to year for staff members.
“I’d go as high as 5% if we could, I’d go 10% if we could, but I also know that we have to be responsible and think long term as well,” she said.
What’s new
The pay increase will be based on each eligible teacher and staff member's salary. The district’s budget decision focuses on meeting the academic needs of over 30,000 students and is built on a Maintenance and Operations tax rate of $0.7369, which will be approved at the August board meeting, according to the release.
Even with the additional $8.5 million in funding that House Bill 2 provided to public schools, Comal ISD is one of the few districts experiencing an unanticipated funding shortfall. The district is currently anticipating a $19 million shortfall this year, according to the release.
Superintendent John Chapman III said the district will continue to find ways to meet the needs of the schools.
“Even though many districts across the state of Texas are not giving pay raises and many districts did trim staffing, we are not doing any of those things, and I do feel confident that with our finance team, we are going to continue to find ways and navigate,” he said.
Notable quote
Board President Russ Garner said teachers and staff are vital to schools across the district.
“We value every member of the Comal ISD staff and the dedication they bring to shaping the future of our students,” Garner said in the release. “Recognizing their invaluable expertise and unwavering commitment, we felt it was essential to demonstrate just how much they are valued as the cornerstone of our mission to cultivate learners and achievers.”
