The selection of a new school board member, hiring a principal at Jordan Elementary School and adoption of the 2022-23 budget are among the items that will be deliberated by the Ector County ISD Board of Trustees Tuesday.
They will also have a public hearing at 5 p.m. in the first floor board room at 802 N. Sam Houston Ave. on an amendment to an agreement for limitation on appraised value between ECISD and lPointFive P1, LLC.
There also will be a Level III grievance hearing in closed session.
Selection of a school board member will be announced. Candidates are Randy Adams, James Drexler, Toni Hardesty, Dennis Jones, Travis Overton, John Rabenaldt, David Sovil and Robert Thayer.
Special presentations include the Extra Mile Award to Lorraine Perryman, Lisa Wyman and Chris Cole and presentation of State Board of Education Student Hero Award to OCTECHS Ashley Manquero.
Introductions of Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) state qualifiers; and recognition of Shijay Sivakumar for placing in a tie for ninth at the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 31-June 2 in Washington, D.C.
A public hearing for adoption of the 2022-2023 official budget and a request for approval of a resolution to calculate the property tax rates is also scheduled.
It’s anticipated that the overall tax rate will stay the same at $1.17792 per $100 valuation.
The board recap from the June 14 workshop said a school board in Texas is legally required to approve three separate budgets: the general fund budget which is projected to be $338,720,000; the debt service budget projected at $27,547,576; and the school nutrition budget at $18,115,065.
All are balanced budgets. The highlights of the General Fund budget come from the 2022-23 compensation plan which trustees approved last month:
>> Starting teacher salary raised to $58,750. In 2017-18, ECISD’s starting teacher salary was $44,500.
>> Everyone on the teacher pay scale will get a minimum increase of $2,000.
>> 4% general pay increase at midpoint for hourly employees (campus-based and central office).
>>3% (of midpoint) pay increase for all professional employees (campus-based and central office).
>> Raise minimum wage to $15/hour (this is up from $10/hour two years ago).
>> The pay increases come at a cost of approximately $9.3 million to the district’s budget, the recap stated.
During the discussion June 14 it was noted, the two largest expenditures, by function, are instruction, which is 60% of the general fund budget and maintenance and operations, which is 10% of the general fund budget.
Superintendent Scott Muri said June 14 that home values have increased, but homestead exemptions also have gone up.
The state recommends that districts have at least 90 days worth of reserve funds, or fund balance, and ECISD plans to have 109, she said.
Among the other items on the agenda are:
>> Possible action on a Level III grievance hearing.
>> Request for Approval of the Principal Fellowship Agreement Between ECISD and Texas Tech University.
>> Discussion of STAAR and end of course data.
>> The board will meet in closed session to discuss a principal for Jordan Elementary. They will vote when they get out.
>> Discussion of and request for approval of revisions to local board policies for the District of Innovation Renewal Plan.
