Teachers in Austin Independent School District have not received a raise since 2009, and some school board members are talking openly about the possibility of raising taxes to finance one. Such a tax rate increase would require approval of voters.
At a meeting last night, AISD chief financial officer Nicole Conley-Abram explained how the district still expects a shortfall of around $20 million next school year. She presented board members with under consideration, including , without specifying how much that pay raise could cost.
鈥淲here were we going to get the money to do this?鈥� Trustee Lori Moya asked.
Conley-Abram responded: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to say right now,鈥� adding that the severity of the district鈥檚 deficit will become clearer in December when they finish a financial forecast. 鈥淭here are some opportunities. We鈥檙e just not in a place to say how we could fund [a teacher pay raise] at this point in time.鈥�
Moya said she hopes 鈥渁t least for the sake of conversation鈥� that the idea of eliminating an extra teacher planning period to finance a pay raise 鈥渟tays on the table.鈥�
鈥淎t least for me, it鈥檚 so important to staff to give them a pay increase that we鈥檙e going to have to let go of something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 know what that something is.鈥�
School board member Rob Schneider, who tends to be more a somewhat more fiscally conservative trustee, urged district staff to consider all options before asking voters for a tax rate increase.
鈥淚 think at some point, we may have to pull that trigger, but I would really like to show we鈥檝e done everything we can before we get to that point,鈥� he said to Conley-Abram.
The Austin ISD currently charges property owners of valuation. That amounts to $1,242 annually per $100,000 of home value.
You can see the 2011-12 salary schedule for AISD teachers and librarians . You can find a salary schedule for AISD counselors .
