Prop A Funding Priorities
About the Funding Priorities
Proposition A provides $4.1M of new funding in the current fiscal year (and is expected to provide at least as much each year thereafter) to support the district’s Maintenance & Operations instructional budget to:
- Increase teacher & staff pay
- Maintain student programs
- Address safety & security
- Student devices
100% of funds generated by Prop A will stay and directly support Nederland ISD.
Did You Know?
Prop A includes funds designated for staff salary adjustments and impacts every student and campus in Nederland ISD.
Increase Teacher & Staff Pay
To keep up with the rising cost of living, Nederland ISD approved a 7% increase across the board for teachers and staff last year. Prop A will allow the district to continue to provide pay increases to all staff in the future.
The district has made budget cuts where it can, but 80% of the budget is earmarked for salaries of teachers and support staff, and without a rate increase, cuts will need to be made to teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, special education personnel, and other support staff. Prop A will protect these essential positions.
Health insurance premiums are climbing, which means teachers would effectively take home less without the raise Prop A provides.
National/Regional Teacher Shortage
There is a national teacher shortage, and Nederland ISD competes with neighboring districts for teachers. Recently many of these districts have increased teacher pay. Prop A would provide funding the district could use to increase teacher pay.
High School Block Schedule
Nederland ISD has utilized a block schedule at the high school since 1995. This has led to student success and a top rating from TEA for several years.
The district is facing a deficit budget and may have to cut as many as 15 teaching positions at the high school which would also eliminate the ability to run a block schedule. Prop A would provide additional annual funds to keep those positions and bring back others, while also keeping its block schedule in place.
Without the funding from Prop A, Nederland ISD will be forced to remove block scheduling, cut approximately 15 teachers, and move to an 8-period schedule day.
Student/Teacher Classroom Ratios
Student-to-teacher classroom ratios and class sizes are impacted by teacher availability.
Prop A provides funds to the district to attract more teachers to support student achievement and discipline in schools and maintain current class sizes.
Fast Fact: Largest Employer in the Community
Nederland ISD is the largest employer in the community, and the proposal could increase the salaries of over 690 employees.
Maintain Student Programs
Next year, the district projects a budget shortfall of almost $1 million.
Student Services & Other Programs
Student Services could be reduced or eliminated.
The district’s special education needs are growing as more students are being identified with special learning needs such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, as well as other emotional and physical disabilities. Prop A would allow the district to fill these hard-to-staff positions.
Other programs that could be cut without additional funding include:
- Capturing Kids’ Hearts is a student engagement and relationship-building program that could be reduced or eliminated without additional funding.
- Samaritan Counseling is a community partner that provides additional social-emotional support that could be reduced without additional funding.
- Communities In Schools is a program that supports academic, behavior, attendance, and social service that could be reduced.
Elementary & Middle School Math and Reading Interventionists
The district used to provide a math and reading interventionist at all elementary and middle schools to support all students with targeted instruction while collaborating with teachers. The district cut those positions due to a lack of state funding over the last four years. This proposal would allow the district to reinstate positions like this at each campus.
Did You Know?
Today, Nederland ISD receives approximately $500 less per student than neighboring districts and $800 less than the state average. This proposal will help ensure that Nederland ISD students are funded at the same level as surrounding districts.
Safety & Security
Prop A would help the district provide competitive salaries for armed officers, providing an armed officer at every campus.
Currently, the district is splitting salary costs for Safety Resource Officers (SRO) with the City of Nederland. Within the next two years, Nederland ISD will take on a larger share of SRO salaries.
Fast Fact: Safety
The state only provides $63 per student in Nederland ISD for safety and security funding, but the district's costs amount to $120 per student, which means the district must come up with another $308,000 for security.
This proposal could help maintain appropriate funding for an armed officer at every campus.
Student Devices
Prop A provides funds to replace student devices that are past their useful life.
The district maintains 5,400 student devices that require updates on a regular basis. Prop A provides additional funding to help keep up with the device replacement schedule so students have access to modern learning tools.
Without additional funding, aging devices will remain in circulation longer, leading to increased downtime, maintenance costs, and reduced instructional efficiency.