EDUCATION Spring ISD proposes $11.7M in budget cuts, $10.6M in sta bonuses for 202324
BY EMILY LINCKE
PLANNING AHEAD
To prepare for the 2023-24 school year and scal year, Spring ISD leaders presented the preliminary budget in May, which will include cuts as well as employee bonuses.
On May 4, Spring ISD leaders proposed $11.7 million in budget cuts and employee retention bonuses totaling $10.6 million for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. The breakdown: Retention stipends would be paid in one sum on employees’ Aug. 25 paychecks, if they return for the upcoming school year, SISD’s Chief Financial Ocer Ann Westbrooks said: • $3,000 will go to teachers with 10 or more years of experience—at SISD or at another district; • $2,500 will be awarded to teachers with ve to nine years of experience; and • $2,000 will be available for all district sta. Zooming in: The bonuses would be paid for with the district’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II grant, which is federally funded and set to expire Sept. 30. These bonuses would be separate from any funds teachers receive from any state legislation passed in the 88th session, a SISD spokesperson conrmed May 15. The background: SISD received its rst estimated certied property values from the Harris Central Appraisal District, Westbrooks said, which showed
34,265 students is the district’s estimated 2023-24 enrollment
12.4% increase in property value was seen for SISD, according to April estimates from the Harris Central Appraisal District
$11.7M in budget cuts were proposed
$10.6M in sta bonuses ranging from $2K-3K per employee, depending on experience, were proposed
SOURCE: SPRING ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
an anticipated 12.4% increase compared to FY 2022-23. With an estimated enrollment of 34,265 students, this gives SISD an estimated maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.7833 per $100 valuation. For the current scal year, 2022-23, the district’s M&O tax rate is $0.8546. The details: On May 4, SISD leaders proposed cuts for the FY 2023-24 budget including: • Moving the district’s bus routes so students must live more than 2 miles from campus or be subject to hazardous conditions to ride the bus in the
2024-25 school year • Eliminating $3.67 million worth of positions, such as library aides and central oce sta • Cutting employee stipends and moving positions to other funding sources • Discontinuing the Community Youth Services program, which provides community-based counseling and intervention services for students The bottom line: SISD trustees did not vote on the proposed bonuses or the preliminary budget at the May 4 or 9 board meetings.
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SPRING KLEIN EDITION • JUNE 2023
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