As Conroe ISD continues to wait on action from the state Legislature to provide funding for teacher raises, the school board agreed to provide retention stipends to both full and part employees totaling almost $11 million.
Chief Financial Officer Darrin Rice said the funds will come from the elementary and secondary school emergency relief grant program signed into law in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
“Stipends ensure the district can retain employees that are highly qualified and well versed in the district,” Rice said during a special meeting Aug. 1. “Stipends also boost employee satisfaction and productivity.”
ON YOURCONROENEWS.COM: Conroe ISD budget increases but won’t include teacher and staff raises
Rice said employees with the district qualify for the stipend if they were employed on or before Sept. 15. Part-time employees will receive $600 and full-time $1,200.
Board President Skeeter Hubert said he was pleased the district can give teachers the stipend.
“We are very hopeful there will be more coming to our teachers,” Hubert said. “It’s a difficult task to have a balanced budget that we strongly believe in as a district. I hope this is showing our commitment to them and our support for what they are doing.”
The stipends come as the district looks to approve its 2024 budget and tax rate for the upcoming year Aug. 15. The budget will increase 8.6 percent to $672 million for 2024 but currently includes no funding for employee raises.
While the budget will increase by $53 million over 2023’s $619 million, Conroe ISD Chief Financial Officer Darrin Rice said the proposed tax rate will drop 15.2 cents from $1.11 per $100 property valuation to 96.21 cents.
The district is looking to the public for help fund new construction and renovations as the district grows and agreed Aug. 1 to place a $1.9 billion bond package on the Nov. 7 ballot.
If approved by voters, the bond will add eight new schools and fund major renovations at five district campuses.
Rice said the bond would bring $30 million back to the general fund to reimburse the district for funds used to purchase land for new schools earlier this year.
