BRENHAM ISD EXPLORING TAX RATE ELECTION FOR STAFF PAY RAISES, BOND ELECTION FOR FACILITY ISSUES

  

Brenham ISD could ask the voters for help with teacher pay raises and urgent facility repairs.

Members of the Brenham School Board received a recap today (Wednesday) of recent discussions by a strategic planning committee comprised of district staff, administrators and community members, exploring how to handle the priorities of addressing teacher retention and taking care of critical needs on campuses.

One of the options being considered is a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE), which could increase the maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate by 3 cents per $100 valuation.  Chief Financial Officer Darrell St. Clair said between increased state revenue approved by legislators and the added local revenue from the higher tax rate, the district could get roughly $2 million extra for the purpose of improving teacher and staff salaries and funding day-to-day operational costs. 

Another potential avenue is a bond election to fund large-scale maintenance and capital projects; Superintendent Clay Gillentine said thanks to early debt repayment, the district could propose a bond of $36 million or more without raising the interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate. 

Gillentine stressed that with the increased homestead exemptions that will likely be passed in November’s constitutional amendment election, voters would not see a negative impact to their taxes.

Katie Burch, one of the facilitators for the strategic planning committee meetings, said while there are pressing issues with district facilities that will need to be resolved, some within a year or sooner, the committee has expressed that its most critical concern is giving teachers, staff and paraprofessionals the resources and support they need in order to help reduce the number of employees who leave for neighboring districts.  She said their wellbeing directly affects the academic success of students, adding, “If you’re going to make a bet, bet on our teachers.”

Much of the board’s discussion revolved around the VATRE, as trustees are weighing whether the increased state funding on its own would be enough to provide for meaningful pay raises and also take care of facilities.  Through St. Clair’s preliminary calculations, the district could see around $943,000 in new funding, and if the district proceeded with a 3 percent raise for non-teachers, a step raise for teachers, and associated benefits, the cost for that would be right around the amount of the new funding coming in. 

That would mean very little of that money could be put back into the district’s fund balance, hire new teachers to help with classroom sizes, or go toward facility needs.  St. Clair noted that teachers would still receive raises of $4,000 to $8,000 from the state, based on their level of experience. 

Adding to the decision is that the district is nearing a deadline to conduct an efficiency audit, which costs $15,000 but is a necessary step to continue with talks about a VATRE. 

Trustees Kyle Hafner and Archer Archer were against proceeding with the VATRE and the audit.  Archer said he understands how important it is to make staff feel valued, but even with the expected homestead exemption increase, the VATRE is permanent, so he wanted to continue exploring alternate funding options.  Hafner said property appraisals are still going to increase, which might soak up what homeowners save with the new exemptions, and that he does not consider it wise to spend $15,000 just to turn around and ask to raise voters’ taxes, especially with as many facility needs Brenham ISD has. 

Trustee Justin Colley said he wants to do more than just the bare minimum for pay raises, and that the district needs to “make up for lost time.”  Trustee Shawn Koonce said the cost of losing good teachers is not fiscally responsible for the district in the long-term, so the district needs to do something now.  Board President Jared Krenek said even if the VATRE passes, Brenham ISD would still have one of the lowest tax rates in the state, and he rhetorically asked what type of message would the district be sending employees if it did not try to do everything it could to support them.

The board is preparing to meet again on Tuesday at noon in the Brenham ISD Administration Office to vote on moving forward with the efficiency audit.

Click here to view the livestream from Wednesday's meeting.

Click here for more information about Brenham ISD's strategic planning committee.