There is good news on the horizon for Dublin ISD employees as the school board recently voted in favor of several increases.
The school board met Monday, June 19 in a special noon meeting due to Team of Eight training following the regular agenda.
Efficiency payments based on years of service were unanimously approved with zero to five years receiving $500, six to 10 years receiving $1,000, 11-15 years receiving $1,500, 16-20 receiving $2,000 and those with more than 21 years receiving $2,500.
All payments will be received in November 2023.
All contract teachers will also receive a $750 returning bonus to be paid in August 2024, for those returning for the 2024-25 school year.
For base pay, teachers will be receiving a $500 increase, at least for now.
Business Manager Kassi Eads explained that with a potential special session being called by the Texas Legislature just for school finance, the district was going to wait and see if even more of an increase could be given.
Hourly employees such as custodial staff will receive a 4% increase, though Superintendent Melissa Summers said it was more of an increase than that since they will have more days off next year.
Summers asked the administration to be patient while waiting to see what increases they would receive.
“We need to hold off a little bit and see what happens in legislation,” she said. The board moved to table administrative pay increases until its July meeting.
School district employees will also receive a $50 a month increase for their insurance, allowing the district to pay $325 toward insurance for the 2023-24 school year.
After the insurance debacle that the school district endured during the 2022-23 school year, the district formed a committee to help research insurances and DISD will have Blue Cross, Blue Shield for the upcoming year allowing each employee to choose from a HMO or PPO plan.
The board also heard from Eads on the current and upcoming budgets.
As far as the legislature is concerned, Eads said so far nothing major has changed for the education system.
With an increase in the Golden Penny yield, she said, the district will see about $450,000 extra funds, however, with ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) funds going away the district will need to make up about half a million in salaries.
Eads said there is conversation in the legislature about a committee being put together to examine vouchers and if that occurs, a second special session could be called in September.
As far as next year’s budget is concerned, the tax rate should go down, she said, because of property value increases.
Summer projects are taking place within DISD currently including tearing out the visitor’s press box and redoing it, a new freezer going in at the elementary school and myriad other projects.
Parents will not see any changes this year to school meal prices.
A new school bus has also been delivered and will be utilized as a route bus.
New hires are currently underway and the district is seeking a head volleyball coach, a head softball coach and a new athletic trainer along with a few other positions.
The next DISD board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, July 24.