| The Dallas Schools presented a budget to the | | | | raise. The Dallas Schools will create incentive |
| trustees that may have teachers receiving raises | | | | stipends to encourage principals and teachers to |
| as high as $5000 next school year. The proposed | | | | move to "hard to staff" schools. Within the Dallas |
| $1.16 billion budget contains nearly $31.5 million for | | | | Schools there are three area high schools and |
| salary increases and new incentives for educators | | | | two middle schools considered "hard to staff' due |
| and support staff of the Dallas Schools. The Dallas | | | | to their location in low income and high crime |
| Schools will also cover the rise in health insurance | | | | areas. Those willing to move there could get |
| costs for its employees, instead of passing that | | | | anywhere from $6000 for teachers, to $10,000 |
| cost on through higher premiums, which means | | | | for principals. The details of that incentive plan are |
| lower pay checks. | | | | still in the planning stages, but administrators in |
| Budget Impacts Sizes of Dallas Schools | | | | Dallas Schools feel that this will attract |
| The budget for the Dallas Schools also contains | | | | experienced quality teachers and administrators to |
| funding for the effort to have smaller class sizes | | | | the areas where their skills are the most |
| in middle schools, and more arts teachers in the | | | | desperately needed. |
| elementary schools. Added funds will also give the | | | | The trustees of the Dallas Schools are scheduled |
| high school teachers an additional planning period. | | | | to vote on the budget at a meeting in June. The |
| These are the things that teachers in the Dallas | | | | overall spending in Dallas Schools is expected to |
| Schools say are important to them. These three | | | | increase by about $38 million; however the Dallas |
| efforts alone, proposed and encouraged by the | | | | taxpayers will not see an increase in their |
| teachers and administrators of the Dallas Schools, | | | | contribution. They will actually see a lower tax |
| could take a $17.1 million bite out of the proposed | | | | rate because of a growing tax base, increased aid |
| budget. But all involved say that the pay off is | | | | for schools from the state, and lower interest |
| well worth the cost. Superintendent Michael | | | | payments on the 2002 bond program. Dallas |
| Hinojosa of the Dallas Schools called the plan a | | | | Schools Teacher Union President, Aimee Bolender, |
| "robust, teacher-friendly" budget. Educators laud | | | | said that the proposed salary increases are "more |
| his long-term vision in an era of high-stakes | | | | than fair, and that the other initiatives - smaller |
| testing. There is a national battle on where to | | | | classes and more planning time - will benefit |
| spend scarce educational funds. | | | | educators. More importantly it will have a positive |
| Pay Packages for Teachers in Dallas Schools | | | | impact on the education of the students of the |
| On average other school support staff such as | | | | Dallas Schools that we serve". |
| administrative employees will see about a 3% | | | | |