Laredo ISD trustees table $1,100 supplemental pay; ask staff to model raises and list vacant positions

Laredo — The Laredo ISD Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted to table consideration of a proposed $1,100 one-time supplemental payment for employees, asking district staff to return with clearer options for converting vacancy savings into permanent raises or alternative supplemental plans.

During a special call meeting, district finance staff told trustees they had identified about $4.3 million in savings derived from unfilled positions between July and December that could fund a one-time payment. Staff also noted employees received a $1,200 ESSER supplement last year; the proposed plan would add $1,100 after employees complete three training modules, bringing the one-time total to roughly $2,300 for those workers.

Trustees pressed staff for more detail on which specific vacant positions produced the $4.3 million figure and whether carrying vacancies year after year effectively builds a recurring funding source into the budget. Trustee Zola Garcia called the $1,100 payment “just… putting a band aid to the problem,” and noted taxes and retirement withholdings would reduce the take-home amount to roughly $800–$900 for many employees.

Superintendent Dr. Rios and district staff described the budget outlook as constrained. Staff said the district had reserved about $14.2 million to address an anticipated shortfall for the coming fiscal year and that line-item verification was ongoing; other figures were mentioned during discussion as high as about $20 million before adjustments. Staff told trustees they had prepared a budget amendment that could appear on the board agenda later in the week if the board chose to act.

Several trustees urged alternatives. One trustee asked staff to model a tiered payout that would prioritize classroom teachers, and another suggested exploring a larger one-time payment per employee (a figure of $2,100 was offered in discussion) or whether legal constraints would allow converting funds to permanent raises. Board counsel and staff warned that adding a permanent raise outside the adopted budget could be restricted by statute and would require additional legal review.

Faced with unanswered questions about vacancy averages (staff said the district carries about 175 vacancies monthly on average), the amount remaining in ESSER, and the long-term deficit plan, Trustee Zola Garcia moved to table the item and asked staff to return with a recommendation showing the specific vacant positions that generated the $4.3 million and clearer modeling of options. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The board set a near-term follow-up: staff said a budget amendment was prepared and could be published on the agenda for Thursday, and trustees asked for a detailed list of vacant positions, remaining ESSER balances and scenarios showing the fiscal impact of converting vacancy savings into permanent raises versus one-time supplements. The special meeting adjourned shortly after the vote.

The trustees did not record roll-call vote tallies by name in the meeting record; the motion to table was adopted by voice vote.