KISD School Board, Alton Frailey Help Lobby State To Give District Authority To Eviscerate Its Pay Schedule For Teachers; Effort Supported By Major Business & Industry, Charter Schools And Former Key Advocate For Vouchers

The Katy I.S.D. School Board’s and Superintendent Alton Frailey’s respective lobbying organizations are asking the Texas Legislature to give it the power to lower, dramatically if it chooses, the District’s pay schedule for classroom teachers.  The Board and Frailey also want lawmakers to eliminate the legal duty to notify teachers at least 45 days before the end of the school term that they are losing their jobs.

Both State Rep. Bill Callegari and State Rep. John Zerwas are strong supporters of the legislation.  Each are co-authors.

While state law currently schedules a minimum pay schedule for classroom teachers, Katy I.S.D. and many others throughout the state have schedules that pay teachers above the state minimum.  Current law requires these districts to maintain stability of the schedules they have chosen to adopt in their efforts to recruit teachers.

Under the Callegari and Zerwas legislation (they are not the principal authors but they are authors) House Bill 400, the Katy I.S.D. School Board and Frailey would have profound new legal authority to make sweeping changes to the district’s current pay schedule for teachers.

Moreover, if the Zerwas and Callegari bill is passed by a 2/3 margin in each house and signed by the governor, it would become effective immediately.  Otherwise, the bill would become effective September 1.

Interestingly, in the Zerwas-Callegari initiative, much of the details are spelled out in the text of HB 400.  However, in the portion of the bill dealing with changes in salary schedules, there is the more cryptic reference to repealing sections of the Texas Administrative Code and the Texas Education Code.  Here’s how that portion of the bill is handled:

C.S.H.B. 400 repeals Section 823.404, Government Code, and the following provisions of the Education Code:

Section 21.401

Section 21.402

Section 21.403

Section 21.4031

Section 21.410(1)

Section 21.411(1)

Section 21.412(1)

Section 21.413(1)

Section 29.0821(c)

Section 30.102(b)

Of course, it is these sections of the Texas Education Code that deal with salary schedules for classroom teachers, and it is these sections of the Zerwas-Callegari initiative supported by the Katy I.S.D. School Board and Frailey that would be repealed.

Local school board members and Frailey are joined in their lobbying efforts by a powerful conglomeration of business, industry, chambers of commerce, charter schools and at least one former but unsuccessful advocate for statewide vouchers.

The school board’s lobbying organization is the Texas Association of School Boards.  Frailey’s lobbying organization is the Texas Association of School Administrators.  In a reflection of the collegiality and sort of ‘co-relationship’  that exists between school board members and superintendents, both groups were represented before the Legislature by David Thompson.  Thompson’s law firm, of course, is also the legal counsel to Katy I.S.D.

Others supporting  HB 400 include the following:

• Texas Association of Business
• Texas Taxpayers and Research Association
• Governor’s Business Council
• Texas Charter Schools Association

One interesting ‘bedmate’ on this issue for Katy I.S.D. and Frailey is that of Jim Windham. Windam, while not in his current capacity, is well known throughout Texas for his longstanding advocacy for state approved vouchers.

In Katy I.S.D., the potential impact of this legislation is enormous.  Currently, the district’s pay schedule for teachers is well above the state minimum.  One aspect of Katy I.S.D.’s schedule is that it continues to pay additional salary for each year of experience above 21 years through 40 years. 

From the top to the bottom of the pay schedule, the district could make substantial cuts in pay and still remain well above the old state minimum schedule which will also be eliminated under the Zerwas-Callegari HB 400.

Since about 61% of general operations are payroll costs primarily for classroom teachers (Function 11 in the TEA accounting code), the district’s budget problems could be solved on the backs of the classroom teachers without any major reductions in the salaries of administrators or any significant reductions in adminstrative force.

The new law would permit such actions.

The Zerwas-Callegari backed legislation would allow the district to take direct aim at the district’s most experienced teachers.  The Katy I.S.D. School Board and Frailey would have the authority to target that portion of the teacher work force (above 21 years) with dramatic reductions in pay as a strategy of encouraging dramatic levels of retirement.

A separate column will provide additional commentary on this bill and the district.  In the meantime, here are some links to relevant documents from the Texas Legislature Online service. In order are text, fiscal note, analysis, and key sections of the Texas Education Code referenced in the proposed bill.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/pdf/HB00400H.pdf#navpanes=0

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/fiscalnotes/pdf/HB00400H.pdf#navpanes=0

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/analysis/pdf/HB00400H.pdf#navpanes=0

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.21.htm#21.401

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