TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the district’s 2023-24 compensation guide during an annual budget workshop on Wednesday (June 14).
Under the plan approved by trustees, all district employees will receive a 3% raise for the upcoming school year. Approval of the compensation guide had been delayed after the Texas state legislature closed the 88th regular session without passing an increase in student revenue or teacher/staff compensation. Further, the current called special session does not include teacher/staff compensation as a Governor’s priority and is expected to run well into June, past the time the district needs to approve compensation for the upcoming budget.
“In the absence of state leadership assisting public education, Temple ISD has decided to take the lead locally and will not allow politics to hold our staff and their families hostage. We can no longer stand by and allow the fate of public educators to rest in the hands of certain state leaders ignoring this profession,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, superintendent of schools for Temple. “I am grateful to our board for approving this 3% raise for our employees and making this move will keep us competitive or ahead of our peer school districts. Further, if the Governor eventually decides to address teacher/staff compensation at a later special session, then we will add additional pay increases as legislative revenue permits.”
As Ott mentioned, the approved compensation guide provides a minimum 3% pay raise for all employees. If additional legislative revenue comes, and permits, those pay raises may increase beyond 3%