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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 6/18/2008 |
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FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT: Judy Everett Ramos, 817-399-2025 |
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The district's Board of Trustees approved a salary increase for the 2008-2009 school year. Starting teachers with a bachelor's degree will be paid $47,370, up from $46,000 last year. Current teachers will receive a three percent pay increase. Support employees will receive a three percent increase of the midpoint. The total cost of the new salary package is $3.1 million, which will cover any new employees still to be hired. And while beginning teachers will receive a competitive salary by joining the district, veteran teachers are well compensated as well. A teacher with a master’s degree and 34 years of experience will make $68,813 in 2008-2009. Under new school finance rules, school revenue is frozen. All revenue increases will occur only if there is an increase in student enrollment. Any tax increase now must be approved by local voters. For this initial year of the new legislation, the Board of Trustees is drawing funds for the salary schedule and inflationary costs, totaling $2.49, out of district reserves. It is likely that unless the state legislature takes action to change the funding program, HEB ISD will have to go out to voters in the fall of 2009 for an increase in local property taxes. This would be required in order to maintain the quality of programs offered to students and to ensure a salary that would provide for cost of living increases for more than 2,000 district staff. Salary and benefits are one of the top three reasons that people apply to HEB ISD. New district employees said in a recent survey that the district’s reputation was the number one reason for applying. The second reason was location, and the third reason was salary and benefits. District board members have made it a priority for many years to pay HEB ISD employees well, in order to recruit and retain the highest quality staff. Download the 2008-2009 Salary Schedule |
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