BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD LOOKS AT BUDGET AND COMPENSATION

  

The Brenham School Board looked at some preliminary numbers for the district’s budget and compensation during a noon workshop meeting today (Monday).  BISD Director of Business Kim Horne said that the current plan is to keep the districts tax rate the same at 1.135 but to shift a small amount from debt service to maintenance and operations.  That would generate and additional $300,000 in state and local revenue.

Horne said the tax office is expecting the tax base to stay flat compared to last year.  Any growth that the tax base has seen is offset by the loss in mineral interests due to the drop in oil prices.  The board also looked at some preliminary numbers for a 3 percent midpoint pay increase.  Last year the board approved a 4.69 percent midpoint pay increase that brought the starting teacher salary to $40,014.  That starting salary is still $4500 below the area average.  Horne explained that there are still a lot of unknowns:

The board also receive and update on the new student registration process.  Pre-K and Kindergarten enrolment will begin in May.  There will be a parent information meeting Tuesday evening at 6 pm at Alton Elementary to answer questions that parents of new students may have.

Board president Natalie Lange received approval from the board to draft a resolution stating the board’s opposition to the state assessment and accountability testing.  Several members of the board agreed that the STAAR testing is driving the current curriculum and is limiting what students learn and how they are taught.  Last week, students in Brenham and across the state experienced problems with the computerized STAAR testing.  Many students found that their answers were lost due to a computer glitch, and had to begin the test all over again.

The board also accepted a donation from the Krause Elementary School PTO.  The group raised $20,593 that will be used to construct a cover over the playground area at the school.