ROISD board approves budget

EDITORS NOTE: An earlier story on the ROISD budget contained errors. We apologize for the oversight.

RED OAK – On June 21, the Red Oak ISD School Board approved the budget for the 2021-22 school year, totaling $76.8M.

The breakdown includes maintenance and operations (M&O) budget of $64 million, student nutrition budget of $2.6 million and the debt service (I&S – interest and sinking) budget of $9.6 million.

The M&O budget comprises of costs for instruction with salaries, counseling, social and health services, leadership, transportation, maintenance, security and more.

The M&O also includes the accelerated instruction budget which totals $11.5 million.

The majority of the M&O balanced budget is allocated toward staff salaries. The Board previously approved raises for ROISD employees including an increase in the teacher salary schedule by $1,500 per step. Teachers above the Salary Schedule (over 30 years experience) will receive a $600 longevity increase. The new starting salary for Red Oak ISD teachers will be $52,500. All other employees will receive a 3% increase based on the midpoint of their pay grade range.

Red Oak ISD provided $3,000 teacher raises each of the past two years (for those on the salary schedule) in addition to 2-3% raises for other staffing categories. 

Starting teacher pay has increased from $45,000 in 2018-19 to $52,500 this coming year – an increase of $7,500.

All salary schedule steps through Step 30 have also subsequently increased and the district has moved into competitive hiring for all teachers. In addition to the teacher salary schedule being increased, the pay plans for other employee groups have been reviewed to ensure a competitive pay range.

This resulted in some of the pay ranges being updated. Some employee groups have also been reviewed to ensure they are in the proper pay range.

The district will also receive $4.15 million in allocated federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant program.

The district will use these funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on student learning through a combination of staffing, support, and program interventions.