Report shows Burnet school teachers paid less than peers
BURNET — Burnet school district teachers on average make about 16 percent less than their counterparts in surrounding districts, according to a recent survey.
On the other hand, the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is in line with the staffing levels of other districts, trustees were told during their meeting Oct. 15. "Everybody is paying more than you are," said Ann Patton, a senior compensation consultant for the Texas Association of School Boards.
According to the report, schools in neighboring areas start their first-year teachers at $41,504. BCISD starts at $34,583 or 16 percent below the median, officials said.
The study, however, does not take into account benefit packages. It also looked at larger districts including Leander, Round Rock and Lake Travis.
Being compared to Class 5A and 4A districts is difficult, said board President Andy Feild. Burnet is smaller at Class 3A.
"We want to give our entire staff the most we can," he said. "You’re comparing apples to oranges. It’s hard."
Superintendent Keith McBurnett said he wasn’t surprised by the findings.
"I had a sense our teacher salaries were below market," he said. "That’s the reason I had them create the study. Now we have to begin planning for the future."
Though BCISD follows state-mandated step increases, which tie raises to teaching experience or years worked, Patton recommended the district eliminate that and go to a system where each teacher gets a pay-raise percentage regardless of how many years are factored in.
That way, teachers don’t have to wait before they get some level of compensation, she added.
Trustees Robby Robertson and Mary Ann Jones noted several of the comparison districts have a bigger business base and more people than BCISD.
Robertson asked if the study included the benefits package, which was designed to offset the lower pay.
"About the salaries – we all knew that," he said.
Patton said her study didn’t include benefits.
Jones said BCISD is a retirement community, and teachers are drawn to the area because of the beauty and the atmosphere instead of just a salary alone.
Patton also talked with athletic director Kurt Jones and was told the district lowered the stipend paid to educators engaged in extracurricular duties.
"Most are lower compared to the market," Patton said. "I’m hearing other school districts doing this. You’re certainly not the only ones. I recommend a different approach."
Everybody who gets extracurricular stipends, regardless of their roles on a team or in a department, can make $1,500 each, officials said.