WESLACO, Texas — Trustees at a July 31 workshop raised concerns after some staff received lower-than-expected Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) payments this summer and learned the district applied employer‑cost deductions to the TIA spending plan.

Administration explained that the district’s TIA spending plan — which the district submitted to TEA and that specifies a 90/10 split of funds (90% to eligible staff; 10% retained for district use) — also treated employer-paid benefits required by law (TRS, Medicare, unemployment, workers’ compensation, etc.) as allowable expenses charged against the 90% portion. In practice, that reduced net checks received by staff.

“How much was it? They said it was like a 30% reduction,” Trustee Mark Delosanto said, summarizing staff feedback. Board members pressed administration to explain whether the district could absorb employer costs rather than deducting them from employees’ award checks. Chief business staff said that if the district chose to pay the employer portion it would be a new local cost and estimated the additional liability could be on the order of several hundred thousand dollars depending on program size and participation.

Dr. Rivera said the TIA spending plan filed with TEA specified the 90/10 distribution and that employer-cost handling was included in the plan and related handbooks developed in prior years. Administration offered two options: (1) continue current approach (employer costs deducted from the 90% award) or (2) have the district pay employer costs from local funds, which would require identifying roughly $400,000–$750,000 (depending on teacher counts) in local funding to cover those employer obligations this year and possibly more if program participation grows.

Trustees asked staff to prepare a clear cost estimate and options for the next board meeting. Trustee German Los Santos proposed bringing the item back as a formal agenda item and seeking proposals/quotes for independent financial review to ensure the district’s books and spending plans are correct before deciding.

No board action was taken at the workshop. The board directed administration to return with: (1) a written explanation of how employer costs were applied to TIA checks, (2) dollar estimates of the employer portion for this year under different participation scenarios, and (3) options for whether the district should cover employer costs and where to identify offsetting savings if that occurs.