LEANDER, Texas — The Leander Independent School District (LISD) board of trustees approved a compensation plan for the next school year, which will give teachers a 5%-at-midpoint pay raise for teachers, and 4% for all others. The plan also includes a provision that set a minimum pay rate of $15 hourly for all positions.
Employees can expect to see their full raise on the first paycheck of the next school year.
“Taking care of Leander ISD’s amazing teachers and staff continues to be of utmost importance to this Board,” board president Trish Bode said. “These raises connect to our board-adopted 'Core Beliefs' and are intended to be a step in honoring our employees’ hard work as life-changers and acknowledge the financial reality many of our dedicated employees find themselves in living in this community.”
Substitute teachers with Leander schools will also be impacted by the 2022–23 compensation plan. Their rate will increase by $25, from $90 to $115 per day. Certified, long-term substitutes and registered nurse substitutes will also see a raise.
“In Leander ISD, we pride ourselves on being able to provide a level of education that goes above and beyond, and the children of our community deserve that,” said Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D. “That’s only possible because of the high-quality teachers and staff in this district.”
According to the district’s website, voters in Leander will also get a chance to determine whether there will be additional funding for educators through an election in November.
First, the board has to set a tax rate to initiate a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) of at least .09 cents. Then voters would have to approve the VATRE this November.
If this happens, the board would provide a one-time lump sum retention payment for all eligible employees in an amount to be determined in future Board action.
“Passing a VATRE in November puts our district on a more stable financial footing and would provide the community with an overall tax rate reduction,” Board Vice President Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Ph.D., said.
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