Boerne ISD to spend $4.8 million from voter-approved tax ratification on pay, stipends and benefits

Boerne Independent School District trustees formally canvassed the Nov. 4 voter‑approval tax ratification election and moved Monday to begin implementing the plan the district called VADER, Superintendent Dr. Kraft said.

Dr. Kraft told the board the election will bring approximately $3 million in local revenue and $1.8 million in state funds — a total of $4.8 million — that district leaders budgeted in June for staff compensation, academic programming and facility replacement. "Eighty percent of the dollars go to retaining and recruiting staff," Dr. Kraft said in her report, adding that the district will publish detailed salary scales once legally permissible.

The superintendent and campus leaders spelled out the planned uses at the meeting. Shane Wilson, principal at Boerne High School, said the investment will be "essential" for sustaining teacher quality and called the $4.8 million an immediate help in a labor market where neighboring districts compete for staff. Several principals and administrators thanked trustees during the public‑comment period for the pay changes, saying the measures will reduce turnover and help retain specialized staff.

Administration listed program-level allocations on the board presentation: roughly half the total (about $1.99 million) is aimed at teachers, nurses, librarians and counselors; teacher stipends were identified as $427,000; nearly $600,000 was set aside for teacher assistants, paraprofessionals and clerical staff; and about $187,000 was allocated for auxiliary staff such as child nutrition workers and bus drivers. Dr. Kraft said the district will increase its contribution to employee health‑care premiums by about $500,000.

Officials said starting teacher pay will move from approximately $55,042 to $60,000 and that stipends will target retention of high‑need positions such as special‑education staff. Dr. Kraft said employees will receive individualized compensation statements in December and that staff will receive two checks that month: one for retroactive pay and one reflecting the new rates going forward.

Board members emphasized the campaign and community outreach behind the election. Dr. Kraft said district leaders held more than 70 meetings and engaged more than 2,500 community members in outreach before the vote. "No one could get ahead of the voters," she said, describing the district’s legally constrained, fact‑based communications during the campaign.

What happens next: district HR and finance teams will finalize pay scales and individual notices this month; trustees said they expect the compensation changes to be reflected in December paychecks. The board did not take further formal action at the meeting beyond canvassing the election results and accepting the superintendent's report.