Election Day voters are deciding if 5,000 Austin teachers get pay raises

Up to 200,000 Travis County voters are expected to go to the polls this Election Day. This is in addition to the almost 52% of registered voters who cast their ballots during early voting from October 21 to November 1. The Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD) is hoping heavy turnout will help pass Proposition A which includes pay raises for 5,093 classroom teachers.

Proposition A's proposed tax rate increase would raise $171 million in total revenue, but only $41 million would stay with Austin ISD. The rest would be subject to recapture, also known as the Robin Hood Program. The majority of the $41 million that stays with Austin ISD would be used for teacher and staff pay raises and to pay down the district's $119 million budget deficit. Proposition A would increase the Austin ISD tax rate from 85.95 cents per $100 of property tax valuation to 95.05 cents. That increase would cost the owner of an average-value Austin home an additional $420 each year.

"For us to ensure that we have the absolute best educators in front of our students we have to be competitive in pay," said Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura.

If Proposition A passes more than 85% of those who work for Austin ISD will get raises that would take effect in December. The 15% who will not are mainly administrators.

Austin ISD Breakdown of Average Salary Increases Based on Years of Experience:

"This compensation package really intends to increase the slope and allow those educators who have been with us so many years to stay with Austin ISD," said Segura.

Austin ISD says the passage of Prop A would keep teachers and librarians from jumping ship and going to other Central Texas school districts to get a raise.

"This package is going to put us on the market with our surrounding districts so that we remain if not on the market, even leading the market," said Brandi Hosak, Chief of Talent Strategy at Austin ISD.

Opponents of Prop A say too little of the money generated by the tax increase would stay in Austin. The state's recapture program sends excess revenue from property-wealthy districts to those with lower property values. In this case, about 75% of the money raised by Prop A would go to the state.

If voters do not approve Prop A, the compensation agreement states that all active, regular employees in a full-time position would receive a one-time incentive payment of $500. The payments would be made in December at a cost of $5.5 million.

Tuesday is a student holiday and staff development day for Austin ISD.