BRENHAM SCHOOL TRUSTEES DISCUSS PAY RAISE SCENARIOS
The Brenham School Board went through a series of staff pay raise possibilities during a budget update Tuesday.
As the school district continues compensation planning for the new school year, trustees looked over how the results of the recently completed legislative session could be distributed to staffers and administrators.
Business and Finance Director Kim Weatherby presented five scenarios to the board, detailing how base pay raises would be split up.
- The first scenario would provide an additional 5 percent of base pay for all employees—not including administration, which would be given an extra 3 percent of base pay. This plan would cost the district $1.61 million.
- The second plan would call for an extra 6 percent for employees, and an additional 1 percent for administration. This would run the district $1.89 million.
- Scenario #3 would allow for a 5 percent raise for employees and 2 percent raise for administrators, while also providing stipends for teachers in tested areas. Weatherby said the district is considering around a $3,000 stipend for those teachers, but said the district will have to work on the numbers in more detail. Weatherby said teachers in classes such as 3rd grade math and reading would get a stipend. This plan would run $1.9 million.
- The fourth plan would give a $2,500 raise for 0-5 year teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses, and a $4,000 raise for personnel with six or more years of service. It would also give 2 percent of base pay for administration and 5 percent for hourly, instructional, and clerical personnel, along with other professionals that are excluded. This scenario would cost $1.83 million.
- The fifth and final plan is similar to the fourth one, but would give a $1,500 raise for 0-5 year teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses, and $3,500 for staffers with six or more years of service. In addition, it would provide for 3 percent of base pay for administration and 5 percent for hourly, instructional, and clerical personnel, along with other excluded professionals. This plan would run $1.61 million.
Weatherby said these pay increases make a difference for both new and experienced teachers.
Several trustees said they liked the plan that featured stipends, with Board President Natalie Lange saying it would provide incentive for teachers in testing areas and let them know they are valued. Weatherby said a final decision on a plan would hopefully be made in the July board meeting.
Weatherby also discussed changes to tax rates and property values, which will not be certified until July 25th. She said the tax rate will indeed be going to 97 cents per $100 valuation, down from the previous $1.04. She noted that, with the passage of House Bill 3, the property value lag has been fixed, so the district can no longer use last year’s property values for current state calculations.
Click here to view the budget presentation from Tuesday's meeting.
So I have never understood why Special Education is never included. The thought of giving teachers that do STAAR a stipend but not the STAAR Alt teachers that test over 4 weeks as well as having to individualize the test for each student is ridiculous. Scores are included in accountability as well. Special education teachers in almost ever district get a stipend as well. Let’s start making things fair for everyone.
BISD is a sinking ship. No way to increase their tax base to afford the raises that occur in the ISD’s around them. Growth begets taxes in other areas. Brenham ISD is right in the middle of a federally subsidized housing Mecca. Federally subsidized housing doesn’t work out for a net tax increase that can be used to add to payroll. BISD is working in a city with a 17% poverty level and over 40% of the students are indigent. We are not Waller or College Station where growth means extra money from taxes. Our growth means extra money has to be spent on the students. To cap it all off the City of Brenham only shows an 82% high school graduation rate of its citizens. 20% of its residents never graduated high school why would education be important especially on state testing. BISD is very heavy on pay at the top (admin) and will not get rid of those positions. The best way to defeat that is run off veteran teachers who cost more money and fill in with new graduates that cost less. Quality of education will suffer. BISD can come up with all the slogans it wants but it can’t hide the facts. As a teacher show one sign of long term illness and they will cut you off in a heartbeat. Look for another job to help your family and you immediately become a traitor.
The paraprofessional do the same work as a teacher. They cover classes. They hardly ever get a lunch or a break. Even asked to do some paperwork. So thank you for including everyone.
When the state senate passed their bill, it was being advertised as a $5,000 raise for TEACHERS! I am sorry but our administration is paid enough, over paid in fact. When the top guy makes 6-8 times more than the average teacher, that is enough. While the para-professionals and others are important, it is the teachers you see staying up at the schools all hours of the day and night when the principal walks out the door promptly at 4:30. This money was supposed to go to the teachers, but as I predicted, our school board would find some way to make sure the teachers did not get them money that was intended for them I also noticed when they talked about raises for administration, they did not mention the “mid-point” raise scam our school board has touted for so long. Enough is enough, give the teachers the increase they work hard for and deserve.
As a former Brenham ISD kindergarten teacher who moved to a nearby district for better pay and a more stable and wonderful teaching atmosphere, I was excited for the teachers at Brenham ISD whom I am still friends with to hear about the “new blood” recently elected to the school board the past couple of years. However, ready this article has me EXTREMELY disappointed in the Brenham ISD school board and leadership. For the Board President to admit to liking the stipend plan and for “several trustees” to agree is ridiculous! Let’s hope the backlash gets them to change their way of thinking, otherwise they will be voted out of their positions next election. It appears Brenham ISD may never change and will continue to disrespect their early childhood teachers. Maybe some more will move, like I did, to another district who will actually pay their TEACHERS as the State intended as well as recognize the importance of the early childhood educator!
These student performance tests appear to be a larger problem and certainly an issue with teachers. School boards across Texas all have issues with STATE REQUIRED testing programs interfering with real education. Seems to me that these teachers and parents are unfairly placing the blame on our school board. The responsibility for this very unpopular testing lies SOLELY with the state, and the ONLY way to change that is at the ballot box. But the citizens of Washington county do not seem to comprehend this truth.
Wow. This stipend would reward testing level teachers while silently punishing the rest of educators. At the elementary level, teachers are passionately committed to laying the foundation for young learners and set them up for success for later years. This is an insulting way of communicating that the early education years are not valued. That elementary teachers are less professional than a testing teacher. That somehow testing success is a result in SPITE of the early years instead of BECAUSE of it. How disappointing to see our highly respected board directly contradict what the district has so vocally conveyed the past few years! #brenhamdivided
This really hurts. I thought the school board and district office were against the state testing. If true, then why give a stipend to just the teachers that give the tests. Yes, they deserve it but so does all employees. All I can do is shake my head and wonder to they really worry about our children and staff or do they worry more about tests scores.
For this to be even a consideration is a slap in the face to teachers that teach kids in lower grade levels. Try giving this STAAR test to kids that have no reading skills whatsoever. When the leaders of our district say we are Brenham United, we are all valued, etc…….Do they mean it. This option would NOT be a good choice for the culture of BISD! It is not a great day to be a cub…..
So, what incentives do the younger elementary teachers have? To only supplement those that “teach” a tested subject is WRONG!!! As a district of unity, #brenhamunited, it takes ALL teachers to make successful students. Is it fair to put a price on testing anyways?
What about a stipends for special ed
So what incentives do your younger elementary teachers have? As a DISTRICT we ALL work together to build the successful testing rate of these kids not to mention build the foundation and to only supplement those that “teach” a tested subject is WRONG…we ALL teach these kids!!!! Is this really #brenhamunited?
Stipends are not the answer! The purpose of testing at certain grade levels is to show growth/mastery not just based upon that single year, but all previous years of learning and growth. Giving a stipend to just the teachers in “testing” grade levels provides a reward for that stress, but doesn’t provide the same incentive for teachers in foundational grade levels that are equally if not more important to the success of each student. Districts that want quality need to provide the financial incentives to attract quality teachers in all grade levels. When BISD looses quality teachers because they can make more in surrounding Districts, there’s a problem. Board members would help themselves by actually having safe conversations with teachers on all grade levels about these issues, as well as discipline, morale , and leadership issues.
I would highly recommend taking #5 off the list. Compared to #4, that shows you care more about administration than your teachers and I’m sure that would cause a riot.
What about teachers who teach the younger grades (i.e. kindergarten and first grade) who lay a foundation and do not teach to a test? Shouldn’t they feel valued as well? And I don’t believe administration should get an increase as they are already being paid extraordinarily well, and do not have to worry about paying for supplies and items for students out of their own pockets!
The intent of the legislation that was passed was to provide TEACHERS a well-deserved pay raise. Let’s not lose sight of that and dilute the funds to provide raises for administration and other “instructional personnel”, whom already receive a stipend the hard working teachers do not.
So the truth is finally coming out. It is all about the tests scores.
I do understand that the STAAR tests are difficult and there is a lot of stress on the teachers to do well. There is too much stress put on them.
Yet, why is a teacher not in a tested area less valued than one that is. Is a Kindergarten teacher less than a 5th grade reading teacher? Is an Art teacher less than a science teacher? I have seen teachers in none-testing areas make huge impacts on the young people they teach each day. That should be more important than a test score.
Again, the truth has finally come out. It is all about the scores — nothing more or nothing less.
Honestly, educators are missing the point. Didn’t the governor promise a $10,000 raise to teachers?? Oh! You forgot about that and want to blame your local school board. Why don’t you put the blame exactly where it should be instead of fighting and name calling your community members and fellow educators?
Testing is a true issue. Period! You want to complain that teachers in the tested areas may get stipends, but I don’t see you volunteering to teach a tested area. If that were the case, maybe a stipend wouldn’t be needed. Everyone can’t teach a non-tested area. Also, you want to talk about administrators, but they work more days. Granted, there are some ineffective administrators just like ineffective teachers and ineffective paras, but why shouldn’t everyone get the raise? So are you saying that cafeteria workers don’t deserve a raise? You don’t think maintenance workers deserve a raise? Secretaries don’t deserve a raise? Who would make sure that paycheck was in your account? Who would feed the kids at school? Who would y’all to the angry parents or support you with issues? Again, we are fighting against one another instead of putting the blame where it should be.
Shame on you for talking bad about the same people that make the entire district work!! No one can do it alone in a school district and if you think the job is that easy then stop being a coward and step up to the plate!!!!