Snyder ISD trustees to vote on teacher incentive package

Snyder ISD trustees will vote on a $700,000-a-year teacher recruitment and retention program when they meet Thursday.
Officials have discussed measures to counter teacher turnover — which reached 33 percent in 2015 — at the school district and the result is the program trustees will vote on Thursday.
Superintendent Dr. Eddie Bland is proposing that the district spend almost $200,000 a year on teacher recruitment with incentives such as sign-on bonuses for teachers in high-need areas, tuition assistance and stipends for students participating in the Tech Teach Across Texas and Strong Teachers Day One teacher development programs and a job fair to recruit new teachers.
To hold onto teachers currently in the district, Bland is asking trustees to approve a package of more than $500,000 in incentives, including $320,000 for an updated stipend schedule for experienced teachers in high-need areas, state-tested subjects and career technology courses.
Overall, the recruiting and retaining proposals total $722,700, an increase of more than $500,000 over current expenditures.
In other business Thursday, trustees will consider a resolution to participate in the Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow juvenile justice and delinquency program, which will fund a truancy intervention program.
Trustees also will consider a resolution to participate in the Road to Success program, which aims to prevent juvenile delinquency by expanding behavior and restorative practices.
Information items on Thursday’s agenda include reports on Lone Star Governance, State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test scores in fifth and eighth grade reading and math, a local accountability plan, replacement of student devices at Snyder Junior High School and teen court.
Trustees may also go into closed session to consider personnel matters. Any action resulting from that discussion will be taken in open session.
Thursday’s meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the administration board room, 2901 37th Street. It is open to the public and time has been set aside for public comment on non-agenda items.