2. SUMMARY
Executive Summary
① Employee compensation constitutes the largest single expenditure category of school district budgets in the state of Texas.
Currently staff salaries account for approximately 60 of total statewide educational expenditures.
② Recent changes to the Texas Education Code eliminated the requirement for a step-wise salary scale.
③ Current trends in compensation structure offer school districts more flexibility on hiring qualified staff.
Background Financials
The district reports a 1.170 locally adopted tax rate. The
district has a taxable value of $238,218 per pupil. This
taxable value places DISD under Chapter 42 of the Texas
Foundation Schools Program and it is subsequently not
subject to recapture under T.E.C. Chapter 41.
For the 2009-2010 school year the district had an operating
budget of $2,246,670. The operating budget is composed of
58% state derived funds, 30% local funds and 12% federal
funds. This yields a funding rate of $13,373 per pupil. Actual
expenditures for the reporting period were $2,001,291 with
operational expenditures of $1,875,257. This yields $11,162
per pupil in actual expenditures. At the end of the 2010
school year the district reported a fund balance of $353,777
or 21% of the projected next year budget.
Damon Independent School District is a small rural school
district located in Brazoria County and served by the
Region 4 Education Service Center. United States census
data from 2010 locates the district in the Houston
metropolitan area. The district serves students in pre-K
through 8th grade. Damon ISD had an average enrollment
of 181 students during the 2011-2012 school year.
The student population is composed of 50% White
students, 46% Hispanic students and 4% African American
and other ethnic group students. During this period 17%
of the student body were reported as having Limited
English Proficiency (LEP), and over 71% of students body
were economically disadvantaged. The district is currently
rated as Recognized by the Texas Education Agency.
3. STAFFING
Instructional Staff
Staffing
In 2011, the last year complete data is available the district
reported a total staff FTE* of 29. Individually 45% of the staff
are teachers, 19% educational are educational aids, 26%
auxiliary staff and 6%. The teaching staff was reported to
have an average of 10.1 years of experience though 53.1%
were reported as having 5 or fewer years of experience. The
district also reported a teacher turnover rate of 22.5%.
Teaching Staff Experience
New to the Profession 1
1 to 5 years of experience 5
6 to 10 years of experience 2
10 to 20 years of experience 1
20+ years of experience 5
District Average Years of
Experience
11.8
District Median Years of
Experience t
8
Administrative
Superintendent 1
Principal Proposed for 2013-2014
4. MARKETCOMPARISON
Comparison Group
Market Comparison
Though small school districts offer unique advantages that
their larger counterparts lack, few of these benefits translate
effectively into teacher recruitment efforts. Ultimately
schools large and small compete for qualified staff within a
defined geographical area. The comparison group in this
study was derived using United States Bureau data compiled
in 2010. This data revealed that the average commute times
for the Houston Metro area is 30.2 min. This data allowed
the compilation of a comparison group that more directly
represents the economic environment in which Damon ISD
must compete.
Eight local school districts were chosen to represent the
local competitive group. These districts were chosen based
only on the basis of geography. No consideration was given
district enrollment or wealth.
Angleton Needville
Alvin Van Vleck
Colombia-Brazoria Wharton
Ft. Bend Sweeny
Comparison Analysis
The current Damon ISD salary structure is a step-wise scale
with levels beginning at o years of experience and continuing
to 30. DISD salaries are competitive within the regional
group and range from 88% to 105% of the group mean.
5. MARKETSUMMARYANALYSIS
Salary Group Comparison
Years of Service High Low High Low Spread Group Mean Damon ISD
0 46,700 34,120 13,080 41,249 36,460
1 47,490 34,410 13,080 41,855 37,343
2 47,935 34,490 13,445 42,006 38,266
4 48,633 35,320 13,313 42,968 38,750
5 48,823 36,560 12,263 43,628 38,925
8 50,141 40,040 10,101 45,354 40,903
9 50,354 41,070 9,284 45,829 41,758
10 50,969 42,852 8,117 46,372 42,613
23 NA NA NA 52,381 55,023
24 NA NA NA 52,846 55,538
25 NA NA NA 53,491 56,053
30 NA NA NA 55,686 58,628
6. MARKETSUMMARYANALYSIS
Salary Group Comparison by Percentage
Years of Service % Vs. Low % Vs. Mean % Vs. High Years of Service
0 107% 88% 78% 0
1 109% 89% 79% 1
2 111% 91% 80% 2
4 110% 90% 80% 4
5 106% 89% 80% 5
8 102% 90% 82% 8
9 102% 91% 83% 9
10 99% 92% 84% 10
23 NA 105% NA 23
24 NA 105% NA 24
25 NA 105% NA 25
30 NA 105% NA 30
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
Instructional Staff Recommendations
The state of Texas has established a minimum salary scale for instructional personnel; this scale has been the
traditional starting point for compensation planning. A unique feature of this scale is automatic salary increases based
on years of experience. This step-wise structure was a reflection of the statutory requirement that salary schedules
included yearly incremental pay increases for all instructional personnel.
Lawmakers during the 80th Legislative session revised the legal requirements for creating a salary scale and effectively
removed the requirement for step-wise pay structures, provided that the compensation plan exceeds the established
minimum salary scale. This change offers school districts the opportunity to create compensation systems that allow
hiring managers and administrators to target compensation to specific area needs while maintaining a broadly
competitive and affordable compensation plan.
Salary Scale Recommendations
Compensation for teachers should be restructured to include pay grading that is tied to experience but allows for
greater flexibility in hiring and retaining teachers in critical needs areas. To facilitate this the recommended
structure creates pay grade sets that are linked to a compressed experience scale that offers the district broader
latitude in meeting staffing needs.
Under this plan teachers, librarians and nurses are placed into pay grades based on experience and their
compensation within the pay grade is based on market factors.
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
This salary scale is based on 90% of the regional comparison group average and is consistent with current salary
practices.
90% of Mean Salary Instructional Staff Plan
Pay Grade Minimum Mid-Point Maximum
T1 37,124 37,897 38,671
T2 39,256 40,251 41,246
T3 41,734 42,754 43,775
T4 44,260 45,330 46,400
T5 46,995 53,497 60,000*
9. RECOMMENDATIONS
Instructional staff are classified in pay grades using the following definitions.
Grade Definitions
Pay Grade Qualifications
T1 a) A bachelors degree in the appropriate field
b) Valid Texas Teacher Certification in the appropriate field
c) Rated as “Highly Qualified” in the assigned teaching field.
d) 0 to 4 years creditable experience in a comparable position
T2 a) A bachelors degree in the appropriate field
b) Valid Texas Teacher Certification in the appropriate field
c) Rated as “Highly Qualified” in the assigned teaching field.
d) 5 to 9 years creditable experience in a comparable position
T3 a) A bachelors degree in the appropriate field
b) Valid Texas Teacher Certification in the appropriate field
c) Rated as “Highly Qualified” in the assigned teaching field.
d) 10 to 14 years creditable experience in a comparable position
T4 a) A bachelors degree in the appropriate field
b) Valid Texas Teacher Certification in the appropriate field
c) Rated as “Highly Qualified” in the assigned teaching field.
d) 15 to 19 years creditable experience in a comparable position
T5 a) A bachelors degree in the appropriate field
b) Valid Texas Teacher Certification in the appropriate field
c) Rated as “Highly Qualified” in the assigned teaching field.
d) 20 or more years creditable experience in a comparable position
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
Compensation for non-exempt employees also remains competitive however it may benefit from the development of
a compensation model that ties compensation levels to job descriptions.
Non-Exempt Scale
Pay Grade Minimum Midpoint Maximum
A1 $8.50 $10.75 $13.00
A2 $10.00 $12.50 $15.00
A3 $13.00 $15.75 $18.50
A4 $17.50 $22.65 $24.81
