By MATHEW ZUÑIGA
Special to the NEWS
RIO HONDO – The Rio Hondo Independent School District recently approved its 2014-15 school district budget.
The budget was presented to the public in a special meeting on June 30, a meeting which RHISD Superintendent Ismael Garcia said went “smoothly.”
The budget is set at $22,044,198, which is approximately $1 million down from the 2013-14 school budget. The $1 million that was saved came from layoffs that took place earlier throughout the year, according to Garcia.
But although the budget has been decided, money matters continue to be a hot topic with RHISD officials.
Garcia has proposed a compensation plan to the RHISD School Board, which after much discussion was tabled. The three-part compensation plan, as explained by Garcia, is made up of a 2.04 percent raise to district employees as well as for athletic stipends and substitute teaching pay.
The pay raise would see teachers on average receive an additional $912 annually. If approved, the raise would be for all employees on the RHISD payroll, except for some longtime administrators and paraprofessionals who Garcia said have “maxed out” their salaries.
The Board, however, did not entertain the idea of a raise so soon after layoffs. Garcia said the district has the money for the raises and if the money does not go to employees, it will be allocated to the schools for curriculum.
Board members showed interest in the stipends portion of the compensation plan. A stipend assignment chart showed football coordinators receiving much higher stipends than the Girls Athletics Coordinator. Stipends had been set years ago before Garcia and the current Board were in place. Officials of the present administration expressed interest in “reforming” the stipends in the form of a boost to the Girls Athletic Coordinator, which would be $2,000 less than the football team’s defensive coordinator.
Athletic Director and Head Football coach Rocky James is currently on vacation and was unavailable for comment.
The Board agreed on increasing substitute teachers’ pay dependent on the type of degrees held. Garcia added, “A compensation plan will be approved at the next meeting. Will it include the raises? I do not know.”
The next meeting will take place at the RHISD Administration Building on July 14.
In other RHISD news, an additional $400,000 proposed as part of a $1 million loan has been tabled for another date. And during executive session at the meeting, two teacher resignations were also accepted and two new counselors were hired for Rio Hondo High School.
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