Summer school teacher pay increased 20% by Spring Branch ISD

HEDWIG VILLAGE, Texas (KTRK) -- Leaders at a Houston-area school district are hoping a bump in pay will encourage more teachers to sign up for summer duties as concerns linger over learning loss due to COVID-19.

The board of trustees at Spring Branch ISD approved raises of up to 20% for teachers, school nurses and librarians for the summer school programs.

"Summer school opportunities for students are important every year, but never more important than this year when students around the country have suffered learning loss during COVID-19," Spring Branch ISD Superintendent Jennifer Blaine said in a statement released Thursday by the district. "We want to give every student every opportunity to learn this summer, and to do that, we need great teachers in the classroom. We believe this significant increase in pay will help us to recruit the teachers we need for summer school."

Teachers' pay will increase from $25 to $30 per hour and lead teacher salaries will increase from $30 to $35 per hour, district officials said.

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The pay rates are the highest the district has ever paid, according to the statement.

Elementary and middle school summer programs run from June 7 through June 30, Monday through Thursday. High school summer programs are scheduled from June 7 through July 8.

Annual salaries for Spring Branch ISD teachers start at $58,000, according to data from the school district. The pay is based on 10-month employment.

The district, located in northwest Harris County, has approximately 35,000 students and a 15.4 student-to-teacher ratio, which is slightly higher than the statewide average of 15.1, according to data from ABC13 partners at The Texas Tribune.

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