Each year, Garland ISD trustees go through the exercise of approving the annual budget and this year is no different, but it does pose some unique challenges.

The board of trustees tackled staff salary increases and other budgetary items during its regular meeting Tuesday, April 26.

Garland ISD Chief Financial Officer Brent Ringo presented two different plans to the board along with a bonus structure with equity adjustments.

The first plan would have a base salary for teachers of $59,000 with 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% midpoint increases and an equity adjustment. The second plan called for a $60,000 base salary and the same increases and equity adjustment.

Ringo said staff’s recommendation was a $60,000 base salary with 4% midpoint increases and equity adjustment, which would cost $4.18 million. He added the recommendation for all other staff was a 4% midpoint increase and equity adjustment, which would cost $2.89 million.

Together, the increases would cost slightly over $7 million. The new teacher starting salary would be a 6.5% increase from the current starting salary, $56,325, said Ringo.

Ringo said 85% of the district’s budget goes toward payroll and he expects costs for items such as gasoline to increase.

Ultimately, Trustee Larry Glick motioned to approve a $60,000 base salary with 5% midpoint increase and equity adjustment for teachers and a 4% increase and equity adjustment for all other staff.

“If we want to become the district that all seven of us, the superintendent and the cabinet…want us to be,” Glick said. “It’s time to retain our great staff and the way to do that is to reward them.”

The board narrowly approved the increase 4-3.

The Garland ISD board of trustees meets the fourth Tuesday of each month and meetings are streamed over the district’s website.

For the full story, see the May 5 issue of The Sachse News.