AISD trustees vote to give raises

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD teachers who have been teaching 20-plus years got a big raise they probably didn’t expect when AISD trustees voted at a special session last Thursday night to match the state’s new minimum pay increase for staff members who weren’t included in the recently passed House Bill 3.

The long-awaited state legislation had already awarded substantial raises to teachers, nurses, counselors, and librarians with zero to 20 years of experience, with increases proportionate to years of experience.

Educators with more than 20 years are not on the mandatory state scale, but they must be paid the new required state minimum of at least $54,540. Six of AISD’s 13 teachers with 20-plus years are below that number and will be bumped up automatically, explained superintendent Jonathan Scott, even though their raises wouldn’t be as much as their co-workers on Step 20 of the state scale.

In addition, Albany’s seven most experienced educators, who are well beyond the state’s “step raise” system, were not scheduled to receive any kind of pay raise under HB3. 

To compensate those 13 staff members, Scott presented several scenarios that all included increases of up to $9,000, which is the amount being received by those going into their 20th year.

Although several expressed budget concerns, local trustees were united in their support of the recommended increases.

“We just need to do what’s right,” commented board president Robert Montgomery. “No, we don’t know for sure where it will all settle out, but I think this board and this community feel strongly that our teachers should have their full compensation, all of our teachers.”

The options Scott presented also showed totals with and without AISD’s above-base pay incentive of $2,050, as well as with and without a three to five percent for paraprofessionals.

In recent weeks, many school districts across the state have discontinued their above-base pay incentives both for budgetary reasons and in light of the state-required raises. 

However, local board members feel that it “wouldn’t be right” to take away an incentive that has already been promised.

The third part of the board’s action gave the support staff a five percent raise for the 2019-2020 school year.

Last week’s action was taken in a single motion, voiced by Kelly Head and seconded by Joe Tidwell. All five trustees in attendance voted in favor.

Scott is estimating, based on information he has received so far, that “new money” from the state will be about $229,000, leaving the district to pick up about $69,000 difference for the pay raises.