Board Increases Teacher Starting Salary to $38,000
by Michelle Carroll-Smith
March 26, 2008
Lytle ISD employees will see an increase in their paycheck next year. The board approved a 5% general pay increase for all employees and increase the teacher salary schedule to reflect the market for this area.
The move is an attempt to be competitive with the market and
retained teachers in the district as well as recruit new teachers
to fill vacancies. The salary schedule needed the most work in the
first five years of teaching. The starting salary for 07-08 is
$33,600 and will increase to $38,000 for 08-09. Higher starting
salaries in surrounding districts make it difficult to attract and
retain teachers. Currently Somerset is at $42,550 and Medina Valley
is at $40,000 for first year teachers. Teachers who left the
district last year were surveyed as to the reasons for leaving the
district. The majority of respondents gave salary as the number one
reason for leaving the district.
The pay raise does not come without concern for the overall budget
next year. The projected review will not cover the amount of the
raise therefore the $750,000 needed will be taken from the fund
balance. In order to balance the 07-08 budget about $800,000 will
be taken from the $4 million fund balance leaving about $3.2
million in reserves for year 08-09. The raises taken from fund
balance will decrease the amount to about $2.6 million by the end
of 08-09. The state legislature will be back in session in January
09. The district is hoping for help in the form of increased
revenue from the state or will be faced with a serious budget
deficit in 09-10. Personnel costs are about 80% of the budget so it
only stands to reason a reduction in force will have to take place
to make up the budget deficit.
As you may have noticed many schools are faced with closing campuses as a result of the increased cost to do business without the increased revenue. Under current law the state only provides the districts with the same level of funding as the 05-06 school year. We will need help in the form of increased revenue to maintain the same level of services and education we provide to our students at this time.
I would like to thank Mary Wagoner, Carol Calaway. Donelle
Harris and Karen Van Zant for volunteering their Spring Break to
paint and spruce up the conference room were board meetings are
held. Great job ladies.
