Lake Travis school district to give extra $1,000 to staff
While much of the focus at the Lake Travis school board meeting on Dec. 12 was centered on a proposed book review policy, the trustees also discussed district concerns and year-end budgetary updates.
The board approved a motion to issue a one-time payment of $1,000 for all full-time staff members. Employees working less than eight hours per day will be paid at a prorated amount. The estimated $1.4 million in funding will come from the district’s remaining Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief money, a provision from stakeholders allocated during COVID-19.
The request for proposals for contractors to build the district's new High School #2 is set to be evaluated next month. The school is scheduled to open in fall 2027 and has three different contractors who may be awarded the bid to build it.
More: Lake Travis ISD is weighing new book review policy. Here's why some parents are concerned.
A motion also was passed to authorize the issuance of school building bonds at a maximum amount of $35 million. The motion is a result of the Nov. 7 election when voters approved $143 million in bonds to build athletic facilities at the planned second high school and to update existing sports complexes.
Approval of a contract between the school district and VLK Architects for the High School #2 project passed with no opposition, along with a contract between the district and design firm PBK to build a maintenance and food and nutrition services building. A contract with Claycomb Associates also was approved for the high school's gym, a fine arts addition and an artificial turf project for bands.
The upcoming implementation of HB 900, a Texas bill that will require all school libraries within the state to rate their books according to explicit rankings, is causing the board to reconsider its current review process. The newly proposed process intends to have a review committee with a minimum of three parents and will temporarily remove books marked as obscene until a full review process is completed to ban them or not.
“If you don’t like a book at a library, don’t check it out. Other people shouldn't be able to control what me or my family can read,” said Lake Travis parent Anna Lindsay. “I urge you to not let a loud minority distract you from the majority of parents who do not want book banning.”
The board could vote on the proposed policy change as early as January.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lake Travis school district to give extra $1,000 to staff
