[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6569983,"mediaKeyId","3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a","parentId",3193996,"title","Rockwall ISD updates budget outlook and adopts 3% compensation plan costing about $3.7 million","audioSeconds",1787,"startMs",719000,"endMs",2506000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a&start=719&end=2506","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a/thumbnail_719000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6569983/Texas/Rockwall-ISD-updates-budget-outlook-and-adopts-3-compensation-plan-costing-about-37-million","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569983-837575d8f097a52e78b37267522bc32b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011991&Signature=Dpqy4J0f6UpMJ--~PB1Cx2wEQVFvZ3mAazPzrGVynJrOF5D4pJ5NuLihQskrwxk03EDW01LZKrTM7VRvjck8CKVYmSdsFW4QaMmi7rHEKVQ8JXBdYrNDT1k8vhBXmtlodtG4HiLbeIsLsboPDQf6DYOKXAFFSI2IidKfl1e7vD28N0I0gR-7-U6oli8Ewm1pmWdMfk4ObMUOSp4BrrNEo3pvbgVxEpAR~QDb0ABOIyZd-D7rbASnR4U-GgVmSNbmTql8tE8Lo33V4jWFpsNVgHRBoqvF6knqjaf2FA143lVwCgVFR9TSTxpoUaZqUWM0GYrUmZK7oEGdUCFr6TqxMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rockwall ISD","date","2025-05-05T00:00:00Z","article","Rockwall Independent School District officials presented a budget update at a special‑session board meeting and the board approved the district’s 2025–26 salary and compensation plan, a measure the administration estimated will cost about $3.7 million a year.

Mr. Carter of the district’s finance operations and technology department told trustees the district’s base budget deficit projection improved from about $6.5 million on April 14 to about $5.5 million based on recent adjustments. The administration said that adopting the proposed compensation plan would increase the projected deficit to roughly $9.3 million. The district also outlined fee and meal‑price increases plus cost reductions the administration said could reduce the fiscal‑year 2025–26 deficit to an estimated $5.7 million (about 2.9% of the operating budget).

The compensation plan recommended by administration and adopted by the board provides roughly a 3% increase for teachers, nurses and librarians (the teacher pay scale) and a 3% midpoint increase for other staff. The presentation estimated the plan would raise starting teacher pay to about $60,500, increase starting bus driver pay to over $26 per hour, preserve the district’s $361 monthly health insurance contribution and a $20,000 life insurance benefit, and maintain free after‑school Rock Care (valued at about $1,500 per child per year). The plan also includes targeted incentives: $5,000 signing bonuses for certain critical‑need positions, a $1,000 increase in some stipends and a new $4,000 stipend for hard‑to‑fill roles such as speech‑language pathologists and school psychologists.

Mr. Carter briefed trustees on several bills pending in the Texas Legislature that could affect the district’s finances. He summarized committee substitute House Bill 2 as proposing a $395 increase in the basic allotment and noted it has not completed the legislative process; he described Senate Bill 4 as proposing an increase in the mandatory homestead exemption (from $100,000 to $140,000 in the version discussed), which the administration said could reduce I&S tax collections for the district by about $3.4 million unless the state provides a hold‑harmless provision for bonds sold in 2023–24. He also described House Bill 19 as a proposal that, in the district’s reading, would limit future bond‑sale debt payments to 20% of the three‑year average of tax collections and could restrict large capital projects in fast‑growth districts.

Trustees discussed timing and legal benchmarks for how any state increase to the basic allotment would need to be applied to teacher pay; Mr. Carter said current draft language in committee would require spending 40% of any increase to the basic allotment on teacher compensation and that the 2024–25 school year would remain the statutory benchmark for that calculation if the bill passes in its current form. Board Vice President Frank Conselman moved to adopt the Rockwall ISD salary and compensation plan for fiscal year 2025–26; Dr. Sherry Packer seconded and the motion passed by voice vote recorded as seven in favor, zero opposed and zero absent.

Board members and staff confirmed some implementation detail: district staff said each 1 percentage‑point across‑the‑board increase would cost about $1.25 million; the compensation plan before the board was estimated at about $3.7 million annually. The administration said it will present a further budget update on June 2 and expects to hold the public hearing and adopt the budget in mid‑June, with final tax‑rate calculations after certified property values are available.

The board also approved the consent agenda later in the meeting by unanimous voice vote; no roll‑call changes to the compensation plan were made at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rockwall ISD - Special Board of Trustees - May 05, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a special-session meeting, Rockwall ISD staff briefed trustees on budget projections amid pending state legislation and the board approved a recommended 3% salary increase for employees for 2025–26, a plan estimated to cost roughly $3.7 million annually.","taxTitle","ROCKWALL ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",14327,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6569988,"Rockwall ISD board extends Wells Fargo standby purchase agreement for 2006 variable‑rate bonds",221,423000,644000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a&start=423&end=644","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a/thumbnail_423000.jpg","/articles/6569988/Texas/Rockwall-ISD-board-extends-Wells-Fargo-standby-purchase-agreement-for-2006-variablerate-bonds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569988-2ba0cf4f57bfa8079a67319fde5d7087/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011991&Signature=j1WI2-1e5pXQnRIS4rYGLbXw2Ro0iGfIvriHi4jTt~~Z9hB1STZNXfODk1nM4cQDPp-s8CNScV6bLhA1J0fhoNVo1uysriZGW40vwcbBk69qiRrc4ZJU6l6aFScWImm6-0d0qiafPLjRk7ztzbO6kxKjtUPT0qVsPXFvBLcLX3JbdH2AN8TGY04CrBuUpUF0HKDGXCTjwQ6MQTjIA402zfgzmurbrUU0J8uYme0umx3jS-WFlw3pEle3oYyEDuXBV8kI0wtLpLGG8y6gzFI45cZWswkeqXWSvGfXGIOtP62F8A8Q6m3aJUUsQeTrKZKCrV2UqqMM1c14BG4xyRdYrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rockwall Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to extend for one year the standby bond purchase agreement tied to the district’s outstanding 2006 variable‑rate bond issue.

Jeff Robert of Hilltop Securities told trustees the district originally sold $32 million of variable‑rate bonds in February 2006 and about $27 million remains outstanding. State law requires a standby bank to provide liquidity if those bonds cannot be remarketed; the district’s existing agreement with Wells Fargo was set to expire.

Robert said the proposed one‑year extension increases the standby fee from 45 basis points to 55 basis points — a 10‑basis‑point rise — which the presentation estimated would cost roughly $4,000 and be payable from the district’s interest and sinking (I&S) fund. He also told the board that an interest‑rate swap tied to the 2006 issue limits options to convert the bonds to fixed rate and that the market termination fee on the swap would be about $2,700,000.

Trustee Stan Britton moved to approve the amendment; Dr. Bart Miller seconded. The motion carried by voice vote recorded as seven in favor, zero opposed and zero absent.

Board materials and discussion identified three practical considerations: (1) the standby bank is required by state law for remarketed variable‑rate bonds; (2) replacing Wells Fargo would likely require new legal work, which Mr. Robert estimated could cost in the tens of thousands of dollars in upfront legal fees; and (3) the swap tied to the bonds constrains a near‑term conversion to fixed rate because of the sizeable termination cost.

The board approved the extension as presented; no substitute standby provider was selected at the meeting.","The board approved a one‑year amendment to the district’s standby bond purchase agreement for its 2006 variable‑rate bonds; fee increases and swap termination costs were discussed.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6569993,"Rockwall ISD appoints Janice Sarah as principal of Amy Parks Heath Elementary",72,97000,169000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a&start=97&end=169","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193996-0e601f4c0cc0c1032b86109a6c676c2a/thumbnail_97000.jpg","/articles/6569993/Texas/Rockwall-ISD-appoints-Janice-Sarah-as-principal-of-Amy-Parks-Heath-Elementary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569993-833f5ef2f888449782efb00dbacb9305/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011991&Signature=oUk5fBVhUhccWrNlQkKy2oXrUau47gtgXLMjlf1BlUWzcd33QfJTZkslVSqOaqJR6WxkHRZmuOS7Q5CuBw-52lkx9emCh9BjL6xWb15nF4pi9oA3DpW6DunqCKyNCtzfg5DL17FFENHfOEcClSd5vL7Dly4t-1AnjRICHFVFjo-iPuDgPl5qn9Cu7RJfKnuQyVZMG~70FVdtddMNmhusKX2Z2sNs1-ZsSw4Gef859HWFg77LPd5cR26xYgdlnFXNBqaCuPT4YyUHRxJcVcdyCoCWcOUlsUjlyiWxhu63Wnr1VqneF5fBybAIhWV2ArwXuOrZq7EnBEUKK24ms-AAJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Janice Sarah was approved as principal of Amy Parks Heath Elementary School by the Rockwall Independent School District Board of Trustees at a special-session meeting that opened at 6 p.m.

The board voted to accept the administration’s recommendation after a motion by Trustee Jim White and a second by Trustee Stan Britton. The motion passed by voice vote recorded as seven in favor, zero opposed and zero absent.

The district presented Sarah’s resume to the board, noting 19 years in public education, experience as an assistant principal on the Amy Parks Heath campus and prior classroom teaching from pre‑K through fourth grade. The administration said Sarah earned a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in educational administration from East Texas State University and has served as Rockwall ISD’s assistant principal mentor.

After the vote, Janice Sarah addressed the board and those present. “It’s truly an honor to be chosen for this leadership role at a campus in the community that means so much to me,” she said, and thanked the board, district staff, and her family.

Board President Amy Hilton congratulated Sarah and the board moved quickly to the next agenda item.

The appointment is effective as presented; the board took no additional action on the campus assignment during the meeting.","The Rockwall Independent School District board approved the appointment of Janice Sarah as principal of Amy Parks Heath Elementary by unanimous vote; Sarah thanked the board and community in brief remarks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rockwall ISD updates budget outlook and adopts 3% compensation plan costing about $3.7 million

Rockwall ISD board extends Wells Fargo standby purchase agreement for 2006 variable‑rate bonds

Rockwall ISD appoints Janice Sarah as principal of Amy Parks Heath Elementary