Nearly a year after approving the highest starting teacher salary in Bexar County, trustees for the Judson Independent School District were looking for ways to slash a record projected deficit, a daunting roadblock to even modest pay raises. They realized at a recent budget workshop that they had no good options. Among the bad ones: asking voters to approve a property tax rate increase. “We’d have to move quickly,” Superintendent Milton Fields said in raising the possibility.
Texas teachers say they’re burnt out over low pay, overwork Higher operating costs have forced districts to dig deeper into their reserve funds, including Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, which has seen a nearly 260% increase in the cost of substitute teachers since 2019. Spokesperson Ed Suarez said the district had difficulty retaining substitutes when campuses reopened after the pandemic and had to contract with ESS, an education staffing company, to fill those gaps.
is working with the employees to see if they qualify for other assignments. Superintendent Jaime Aquino squarely blamed the Legislature for “one of the most challenging budget development processes that we have encountered,” telling his board, “I think it’s important for the public to understand that our state leaders have chosen not to invest in the future of our state.
projects a $36 million deficit next year. Administrators at a budget workshop Monday said they are not recommending a pay raise and expect neighboring districts to forgo one as well. South San Antonio ISD’s board voted in January to declare “financial exigency,” a formal expectation that the district won’t be able to support its instructional programs or fully compensate employees.