CYNTHIA GARCIA
The Springtown ISD board of trustees approved a compensation plan that provides every district employee with a minimum 2.5% pay increase during a special school board meeting July 16.
According to a district news release, the district partnered with the Texas Association of School Boards to conduct a comprehensive staffing and compensation analysis to ensure employee compensation remains competitive. The review compared the ISD’s pay structure with nearby school districts and others throughout the region to ensure the district remains competitive and exceeds the market in various aspects.
Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Wesley Thomas led the compensation study and worked extensively with TASB to analyze staffing levels, evaluate salary schedules and develop a fiscally responsible compensation plan for the board’s consideration.
“The board has historically been very, very proactive in rewarding our employees, and as we went into the budget cycle, building (the budget cycle) this year again, one of their number one top priorities was to reward our employees financially and in compensation packages as much as possible,” Thomas told the Springtown Epigraph.
Thomas said administrators presented several compensation scenarios before the board selected the final plan.
“We had different proposals prepared and took the board through different categories of scenarios, and ultimately, they decided at the end of the day to give a 2.5% pay increase to everyone in the district,” he said.
According to the press release, board President Chris Gilley said the employees are the heart of everything the board does, and the investment reflects how much they are valued.
“The board of trustees is committed to being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars while also ensuring Springtown ISD remains a destination district for outstanding teachers and staff,” Gilley said.
Gilley said supporting employees remains one of the board’s top priorities.
“We know that investing in our people is one of the most important investments we can make, and we are proud to support a compensation plan that benefits every employee,” he said.
Superintendent Shane Strickland shared his gratitude for the school board’s decision.
“We are grateful to our board of trustees for making this investment in our employees and for continuing to prioritize both fiscal responsibility and our people,” Strickland said.
