(FORT BEND ISD) - Unofficial results show that Fort Bend ISD’s Voter Approval Tax Rate Election - Proposition A, passed with 57 percent of the vote.
The approval of the measure, also known as a VATRE, means the district can provide competitive salaries for teachers, nurses, counselors, librarians, and all other benefits-eligible staff members among its 12,000-plus employees, said district officials. The district will now receive $22 million in new tax revenues plus $13 million from the state – due to the way school finance is structured – for a total of $35 million in new revenues annually. The funds will also be used to comply with the state mandate to have armed security on all FBISD campuses, including at the district’s 50 elementary schools. Fort Bend ISD’s starting teacher salary of $59,500 will now increase to $62,000 -which is more in line with other Houston area districts. Also, teachers will be rewarded for years of service with “step” pay increases at five-year milestones. The “step” increases range from $2,500 for 0 years of service up to $7,000 for 25 years or more. The accumulated years of service include time worked in FBISD or another school district. Police officers will now receive an average 9.6 percent raise, classroom aides will get an average 8.8 percent raise, bus drivers will receive an average 7.6 percent, auxiliary staff will receive 5.9 percent, non-classroom paraprofessionals will receive an average 4.5 percent raise, and all other staff members who are benefits-eligible will receive a 3 percent increase based on the midpoint of their salary range. FBISD’s tax rate goes from $1.13 to just under 99-cents with this successful election. That rate is the lowest in Fort Bend ISD history. Results of the election will become official after being canvassed at a FBISD Board of Trustees meeting within the next several days.
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