HR Services answers some frequently asked questions about what the voter-approved Proposition A means for you.
On November 7, Travis and Williamson County voters approved Proposition A. Through the passage of Proposition A, a voter approved tax ratification election (VATRE), the District is able to generate additional funding needed to provide all staff members an additional 3% general pay increase (GPI). This increase is on top of the 3% general pay increase for all teachers and librarians and 2% GPI for all other staff members that the Board of Trustees approved earlier this year.
Q. Am I eligible to receive the additional general pay increase?
A. Eligibility requirements include but are not limited to:
- Full-time, contracted teachers and librarians with 187 service calendar days for the 2023-2024 school year will be placed on the revised teacher salary schedule, at the step corresponding to their years’ of verified experience. Contracted teachers who have worked less than 187 service calendar days and/or who may be part-time will receive a prorated amount based on the number of duty days worked or their assigned schedule.
- All other regular status employees actively employed with the District at the end of the 2022-2023 school year and who have continued employment in the same position for the 2023-2024 school year. Employees actively employed in 2022-23 who have subsequently transitioned into new positions in the 2023-2024 school year will receive an adjusted rate based on the number of duty days worked in each position.
- Employees must be actively employed in a regular status position on November 8, 2023 in order to be eligible. Employees who separated from employment on or prior to the November 7, 2023 election date are not eligible for the increase.
Q: When will I begin earning my new salary?
A: If eligible, your paycheck will reflect your new salary beginning with your January 25, 2024 paycheck for monthly employees and January 31, 2024 for semi-monthly employees.
Q: Will I receive a retroactive catch up payment?
A: Yes. Proposition A provides eligible employees retroactive earnings from the beginning of their duty period in the 2023-2024 school year through December 2023 paychecks. Eligible employees actively employed with the District on November 8 will receive a retroactive catch-up payment.
Q: If I am on approved leave will I qualify to receive the retroactive catch up payment?
A: Yes. You are considered an active employee if you are on approved leave; however, your retroactive payment may be prorated based on the number of duty days you worked, along with the number of paid leave days that you utilized during your period of leave.
Q: I am a teacher. What will my new 2023-2024 salary be?
A: Eligible full-time teachers who began on the first day of their 2023-2024 service calendar will receive an annual increase of at least $1,750 base, with a portion being paid in a retroactive catch-up payment and the remaining being spread out for the remainder of the 2023-2024 paychecks starting in January 2024. The full annual increase is based on a teacher classified as full-time, 10-month, working 187 service calendar days, and will be paid over 12 months. Your new teacher salary will be based on your years of verified service experience, and will be determined by the corresponding pay step on the new 2023-2024 teacher salary schedule.
Q: I am not a teacher. How do I calculate my general pay increase and retroactive catch up payment?
A: Eligible employees will receive an increase of 3% of their pay grade’s midpoint.
Hourly employees can calculate their general pay increase by multiplying the approved percentage by their assigned pay grade midpoint rate.
For example:
- If eligible, and you currently make $20.00 per hour, and your pay grade midpoint is $22.20 per hour:
- A 3% increase of the $22.20 per hour midpoint is $0.66 per hour.
- Add $0.66 per hour to your earned hourly rate.
- Your new hourly rate will be $20.66 per hour.
Salaried employees can calculate their general pay increase by multiplying their assigned pay grade midpoint rate by 3%.
For example:
- If eligible, and you currently make $250 per day, and your pay grade midpoint is $300 per day:
- A 3% increase of the $300 per day midpoint is $9.00 per day.
- Add $9.00 per day to your earned daily rate.
- Your new daily rate will be $259 per day.
Eligible retroactive catch up payments will depend on actual days worked, overtime if applicable, and paid time off hours for the prior periods paid through the December 2023 paycheck.
Q: Do I qualify for the general pay increase if I was hired for the 2023-2024 school year and was not employed with Round Rock ISD in the 2022-2023 school year?
A: With the approval of Proposition A, the District has implemented a revised compensation plan. Your pay is based on your placement within the revised compensation plan, as determined by your years of experience. While employees who were employed in 2022-2023 were eligible for an additional 3% GPI, employees hired in 2023-2024 may see an adjustment to their pay that may not be equal to 3%, based on the revised compensation plan.
Q: Why is the pay adjustment being processed in January, and not sooner?
A: HR Services and Payroll will be processing approximately 6,500 pay increases as a result of the voter-approved Proposition A. In addition, retroactive payments need to be calculated and processed, many of which are also impacted by overtime calculations for non-exempt staff. With the upcoming Fall and Winter Breaks, payroll deadlines and the timeline for payroll distributions are significantly condensed, thus January distributions provide the necessary time for accurate processing.
Q: Are Guest Educators eligible for the general pay increases as a result of the voter-approved Proposition A?
A: Guest Educators are not eligible for general pay increases as part of this compensation plan.
Q: Is the catch up payment TRS-eligible?
A: Yes. The retroactive catch up payment you receive on your January paycheck is TRS-eligible.
Q: How much in federal taxes can I expect to be deducted from the catch up payment?
A: Your federal tax liability will be dependent on your W-4 withholding. Please visit the IRS.gov for additional assistance that includes a Tax Withholding Estimator tool you may find helpful. You can update your W-4 withholding by visiting Employee Self Service. For additional assistance, please contact Payroll.
Q: Who do I contact if I have questions about compensation related to Prop A?
A: If you have questions directly related to what you’ve received on your paycheck, please submit a Let’s Talk, and someone from the HR Services team will get back to you as soon as possible.