Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Del Valle ISD staff press board for larger raises and a living wage during public comment
Summary
Several Del Valle ISD employees and union representatives urged the board to boost hourly wages and campus-level pay during public comment, citing Austin-area costs and a sizeable district fund balance; speakers asked the board to include raises in the budget rather than rely on state programs.
Public comment at the Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees meeting was dominated by appeals for higher pay for campus-level staff and hourly employees. Michelle Estrada, a job coach at Del Valle High School, told the board: "I truly believe we deserve this pay raise due to the high cost of living in the Austin and Del Valle surrounding areas," and urged the board to consider raises beyond the state-led increases.
Union and community speakers expanded on that theme. Jason Wiley, an organizer with the Texas State Teachers Association, criticized state underfunding and questioned the district's fiscal choices, saying "Running a fund balance of 40% of the following year's budgeted expenditures is not necessary and is substantially higher than most neighboring districts." He called for a written district response if administration considers compensation goals infeasible.
Other speakers pressed specific proposals. Janie Quinteras, a receptionist at Del Valle Middle School and DVEA executive-committee member, cited the MIT living-wage calculation for the Austin metro ($23.71 per hour) and urged the board to "implement DVEA's proposal of a $3 hour raise for hourly employees." Jessica Marquez, president of the Del Valle Education Association, reiterated an ask to move librarians and nurses back to the teacher pay scale and said "DVISD needs to include pay raises in the budget so we do not have to depend on the state."
