The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a balanced budget of $162.80 million for the 2013-2014 school year during a special meeting on Monday night.
The approved budget is $5.345 million more than the previous year for HCISD, an increase of about 3.4 percent, as a result of an increase in state revenue.
“We carry pride that our district and Board of Trustees remain fiscally responsible while promoting the best interests of our students and their educations,” said Superintendent Dr. Steve Flores. “Our budget reflects our fortunate position as a district. I commend administration for making the newly adopted budget a viable framework that further assists the development of our district on behalf of student achievement.”
Trustees will vote on a new tax rate during their September meeting. The board held a public hearing for the proposed tax rate of $1.218 for every $100 in property value, no increase from the previous years rate.
Highlights from the approved budget included a cost of living increase for all HCISD employees. Teachers received an increase of $1,300, while administration and other professions were given an increase of 2.6 percent of the midpoint. An increase of 3 percent was approved for auxiliary and hourly employees. Also given was a fifty-cent hourly increase to bus drivers.
Also approved during the Special Board Meeting was the hiring of Adrian Soliz as the Assistant Principal of Memorial Middle School, Jaymie Galan as the Assistant Principal for Treasure Hills Elementary and Rebecca Rios as the Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) Coordinator.
Soliz comes to HCISD after serving as a teacher at San Benito High School. He has worked in education since 1996.
Galan will head to Treasure Hills after serving as the Zavala Elementary School Instructional Facilitator since 2011. Prior to Zavala, she worked as a teacher in both Mcallen and Weslaco ISD. She has worked in education since 2003.
Rios has served in education since 2002 and previously worked as a teacher at Coakley Middle School. She’s also held teaching positions at Valley View ISD and Pendergast ISD in Arizona.
