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A proposed Compensation Plan calling for employee raises was approved for the 2022-23 budget by the Lumberton ISD Board of Trustees on July 14.
Board President James Kersh noted the Compensation Plan is part of the budget process and salaries make up about 80% of the annual budget.
“We usually have it ready a month in advance for the budget,” he said.
The Compensation Plan calls for a 3% increase for teachers, administrators, professionals, librarians and nurses.
The minimum raise is $1,678, according to a chart posted by the district.
Secondary, math, science, LOTE (Languages Other Than English) and special education teachers will receive an additional $1,000 stipend.
In the plan, all bus drivers will receive a 10% raise for a guaranteed five hours and a $100 monthly attendance incentive. All campus aides and bus monitors will get a 7.7% increase. All other office staff, maintenance staff and IT will receive a 5% increase in salary.
Substitute teachers will receive a $10 per day increase and they all have an opportunity to earn an additional $10 per day for the 2023-24 school year by working 90 days in the 2022-23 school year.
Also, all employees will get a $1,200 retention stipend.
Kersh said the district is using some of the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act money in the plan.
“We had some money allocated for smart boards at the high school and we asked TEA (Texas Education Agency) if we could divert that to staff retention,” he said. “And they allowed us to do that.”
Kersh said the district normally approves between a 2% and 3% raise each school year.
“We switched to the midpoint about 7 years ago,” Kersh added. “So rather than giving everyone a guaranteed step, What we did was to take the high and the low on the salary range and raised everybody on that midpoint.”
Kersh said the new plan gives newer teachers a chance to get a little bit more.
“Because opposite of midpoint, they’re going to get a little bit higher raise than the experienced teachers who have been with us for a while,” he said. “It does balance it out.”
Kersh noted starting salary for teachers is lower than in other school districts, but teachers with 5-10 years of experience and on are in “good shape” on the pay scale.
Kersh added that, over the past two years, teachers have been through a lot with the COVID pandemic.
“This year we were able to get down and strap the budget and figure out places to come up with a little bit more money,” Kersh said. “They definitely need it.”
The final budget deadline is Aug. 20.