College Station ISD school board members approve a request from administrators to raise pay for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers.
A memo from CSISD chief financial officer Amy Drozd says the district has 14 bus driver vacancies and one trainee. That has resulted in mechanics, office staff, and administrators in the transportation department filling in as drivers. CSISD also has to give priority to getting students to and from school over extracurricular trips. The board approved a 50 cent an hour raise for new and current drivers. That would get CSISD to within a dollar a hour of the district’s biggest competitor. Additionally, CSISD will give a $1,000 dollar hiring incentive to new drivers and $750 dollars to current CSISD employees who get their CDL and becomes a driver. Transportation director Hector Silva says the incentive is used in Houston area districts, and there is minimal problem of drivers leaving those districts after receiving the hiring bonus.
As for substitute educators, Drozd’s memo stated campuses have had to be creative to cover classes when a substitute can not be found. Drozd says students are moving into other classrooms, teachers are giving up free periods, and campus administrators are covering. The board approved a pay increase of five dollars in the daily rate for subs and paras. If the sub has an assignment from 10 to 21 days, the raise would be ten dollars a day.
Raises for subs and paras starts November 1, and for bus drivers starting January 1.
The additional expense is $191,000 dollars. Drozd noted CSISD’s total compensation budget is $100 million dollars.
Click HERE to read and download the Amy Drozd memo.
Click below for comments from Amy Drozd and Hector Silva during the October 19, 2021 CSISD board meeting.