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Del Valle ISD teacher union urges 3% pay increase as district reviews budget shortfall
Summary
At the March Del Valle ISD board meeting, the Del Valle Education Association called for a 3% pay increase while district staff presented monthly financials showing a favorable fund balance and recent bond spending. Board members later approved a budget amendment to recognize additional tax collections and increased payments.
Jessica Marquez, president of the Del Valle Education Association, urged the Del Valle Independent School District Board of Trustees to adopt a 3% pay increase for all employees as the district prepares next year’s budget.
"DBA wants to see a 3% increase for all employees. A 3% raise is a humble ask and represents an increase that would keep up with the pace of inflation in the last 12 months," Marquez told the board during the public-comment portion of the March meeting.
The request came as district staff presented the monthly financial report for the period ending Feb. 28. Ms. Dina Edgar, who delivered the report, said the district’s investment portfolio had a weighted average yield of 4.2% and that February produced $1,300,000 in interest earnings and $9,500,000 in tax collections for the month. Edgar reported roughly $10,000,000 in interest earnings fiscal year to date and said the district’s general fund balance remained favorable at $154,000 as of Feb. 28.
Edgar also summarized grant and bond activity: of $9,300,000 in state and federal grants awarded, $3,600,000 had been drawn down as of Jan. 31, leaving about $5,500,000 available through Sept. 30. She said the 2019 bond began the fiscal year with a budget of $27,900,000 and $12,200,000 had been spent as of February, not including $7,000,000 in encumbrances. The 2022 bond program started with $224,000,000; $55,600,000 had been spent and $156,000,000 was encumbered for ongoing projects, leaving a balance of $12,200,000.
Superintendent Dr. Gutierrez framed the budget discussion in the context of ongoing instructional priorities and recent campus visits. "Our focus remains on continuous improvement while keeping students engaged and excited about the learning," Gutierrez said, noting recent teacher-advisory activities led by Chief Academic Officer Dr. Katrina Bailey and school leadership changes, including the appointment of Dr. Leslie Vasquez as principal of Creedmoor Elementary.
Marquez told trustees that the district faces a per-student funding shortfall from the state that has not increased since 2019, calling it "a shocking $1,300 below what is required to have kept up with inflation." She warned that cutting staff without compensation increases would raise workloads and risk higher turnover.
Board members asked clarifying questions during the financial presentation about the scope of grants presented and line-item timing. Edgar said the slide deck showed the most significant grants, not an exhaustive list, and reminded the board that federal grants often run on a different fiscal calendar and may be spent through Sept. 30 rather than June 30.
The board later approved Budget Amendment No. 1 to the general fund to recognize additional tax collections and an increase in Chapter 313 payments from Tesla and to absorb positions previously funded by ESSER III that expired Sept. 30. The amendment was based on payroll actuals through January and projections through June.
As the district finalizes next year’s budget, trustees and staff said they would balance fiscal constraints with instructional priorities and employee retention concerns.
