GILLENTINE: PAY RAISES FOR BRENHAM ISD EMPLOYEES ‘TOP FINANCIAL PRIORITY’
Brenham ISD is looking at ways to provide pay raises to employees, but district officials say it will take time – and some help from the state.
During the Brenham School Board’s discussion today (Friday) on the district’s 2023-24 financial audit, Board Secretary Kelvin Raven asked if any plans were in the works to give employees a bump in pay, saying, “It’s been two years, and we need to make that happen.”
Superintendent Clay Gillentine said doing so is his “top financial priority”, but it has been difficult to make progress on that end given the district’s previous two deficit budgets that ate into available fund balance. He committed to working toward making those raises possible in the future, adding that having a balanced budget this year certainly helps, but ultimately said, “We’ve got to have it before we can give it.”
Board President Natalie Lange implored the Texas Legislature to provide school districts with additional funding and asked constituents to contact their representatives for support.
The audit report, presented by Paula Lowe of Patillo, Brown & Hill LLP, was overall a positive one, as it was a clean, unmodified opinion with no findings. Brenham ISD Chief Financial Officer Darrell St. Clair said the district finished up about $800,000 better than the original budgeted deficit from last year.
In other business today, the board heard an update on the district’s instructional calendar for the 2025-26 school year. Chief Academic Officer Sara Borchgardt said staff have voted on two calendar options developed after a survey conducted by the district’s educational improvement committee.
Next will be a meeting on February 3rd by the district of innovation committee to explore ways to approach teacher professional learning days in the calendar. The final calendar recommendations will be presented to the board at its next regular meeting on February 17th.
Trustees then approved an order calling a board election for May 3rd. Three seats are up for election, those being Position 5, held by Tommie Sullivan; Position 6, held by Natalie Lange; and Position 7, held by Jared Krenek.
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I would like to hear a report on the superintendent’s contract negotiations that happened on Wednesday. He says teacher pay raises are a priority…did he make that happen first or was his own salary increase the real priority?
Trim some of the FAT in the Higher ranks and you can give the ones that deserve a raise a raise! The calendar options voted on were very similar from what I am hearing from some teachers (maybe one day with or w/o students after a holiday.
How about getting rid of made up positions at central office with six figure salaries. May not completely fix the situation but will deffinetly help
“Superintendent Clay Gillentine said doing so is his “top financial priority”, but it has been difficult to make progress on that end given the district’s previous two deficit budgets that ate into available fund balance. He committed to working toward making those raises possible in the future, adding that having a balanced budget this year certainly helps, but ultimately said, “We’ve got to have it before we can give it.”
I would like to suggest the BISD consider reducing central office staff with their inflated salaries, get rid of some of the specialist that see almost no students, and focus on eliminating other fat in the system, then maybe then maybe you can do something for the teachers?