Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Alief ISD board approves one-time 3% salary supplement for eligible staff
Summary
The Alief ISD Board on Jan. 23 approved a one-time supplemental payment equal to 3% of each eligible employee's midpoint to be paid April 15 and funded by the voter-approved tax-rate increase; trustees debated lump-sum payment versus a permanent raise and requested clearer employee communications.
The Alief Independent School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 23 approved a resolution authorizing a one-time supplemental payment equal to 3% of the midpoint for eligible employees in lieu of a permanent raise for the 2024-25 school year.
Deputy superintendent Charles Woods told trustees the measure is funded by proceeds from the district's recent voter-approved tax-rate increase (VATRE) and estimated the total cost at roughly $9 million. "We are anticipating selling that $50,000,000 in May," Woods said, and the resolution would allow the district to make a one-time payment in the April 15 paycheck and then, if adopted later, build the increase into the 2025-26 salary schedule.
The decision follows public comment from Ron Cots, president of the Alief Texas State Teachers Association, who voiced concern that the resolution does not commit the district to a permanent pay increase. "This is a positive step in providing some relief to all employees," Cots said, while urging the board to seek a compromise that would preserve future raises.
Trustees asked administration to clarify trade-offs between a lump-sum supplement and a permanent raise, noting implications for TRS calculations, hiring timelines and employee tax consequences. Trustee Anne Williams said she understood the rationale but voiced unease about mid-year changes: "I've understood the conversation before we went out for a levy, but I don't think we've ever given a raise in the middle of a school year." Administration said the payment is intentionally structured as a one-time supplement so it does not immediately create a permanent, property-right pay obligation.
After extended discussion the board approved the resolution by roll call. The administration will finalize the eligible-employee list and communicate the lump-sum timing and tax implications to staff ahead of the April payment.
The board did not adopt a permanent salary schedule at the meeting; Woods said the administration intends to return in the spring with a compensation plan that would incorporate any permanent increases for 2025-26, depending on available revenue and legislative developments.
What's next: the April 15 supplemental payments will be processed for eligible employees; trustees and administration said they will continue to examine long-term compensation strategy during the spring.
