SchoolsThursday, November 12
Northside ISD weighs its next steps after voters reject its tax increase and bonds
The SATXtoday team
If you have a kid in Northside ISD, or work there, here's where things stand. Voters rejected all four propositions on election day: the Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE, or Prop A) and almost $900 million in bonds for an aquatic center, renovations, buses and technology.
Prop A would have paid for staff raises
- $45 million
- a year Prop A would have generated
- $35 million
- of that was meant for employee pay
- 2%
- raises for teachers and other certified staff
- $15
- minimum hourly wage for support workers
Interim Superintendent Jessica Palomares says the district is looking at its current budget for places to re-prioritize.
“There's going to be some tough decisions we're going to have to make but we are going to be transparent in the process and we're going to involve our community.”
- Next step: review the current budget and efficiency audits
- School closures: no formal decisions yet
- Students living in Northside ISD who applied for TEFA: 7,077
It's unclear whether staff raises are possible without that money. Melina Espiritu-Azocar, president of the Northside American Federation of Teachers, says the union will regroup. She says Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa told members "help is on the way."