BUDA — At its Jan. 22 meeting, the Hays CISD Board of Trustees approved several items, including a resolution regarding compensation for district employees due to inclement weather and class size waivers for K4 Capacity Incentive.
From Jan. 15-16, Hays CISD campuses and offices were closed because of freezing weather temperatures. Through circumstances beyond their control, most district employees were forced to miss work and certain non-exempt employees were directed to report to work to perform certain necessary services during the closure, according to the resolution.
The board of trustees authorized the following revision to the 2023-24 pay schedule:
• All Hays CISD employees who had requested and were approved for paid leave prior to school district cancellation will have that leave day deducted from their leave total.
• Those Hays CISD employees who had requested and were approved for unpaid leave prior to school district cancellation will have that leave day deducted from their pay in accordance with district policy.
• Those Hays CISD employees who were on a 248 or 260 work calendar and scheduled to work, were not on approved leave prior to district cancellation and were paid although they did not report to work on Jan. 15, due to school district cancellation will not be required to make-up the lost work day.
• All other Hays CISD employees who were paid, but did not report to work on Jan. 16, due to school district cancellation, will not be required to make-up the lost work day.
• Those Hays CISD employees who are paid on an hourly basis and who did not work on Jan. 16 will be paid on an average daily rate of pay, as determined by the superintendent, even though they did not work on that day.
Also in the meeting, the board approved class size waivers for K4 Capacity Incentive.
According to the Texas Education Agency, a district must submit a request for a class size exception for any classrooms in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade that exceed the 22 student class size limit. Pre-K class size limits were added beginning with the 2021-22 school year.
To apply for an exception, the class size limit must create an undue hardship on the district. The following factors are considered by the commissioner:
• Unanticipated enrollment growth
• Lack of facilities
• Lack of teachers
• Financial hardships
Once the district goes over the 22-to-1 ratio in grades Pre-K to fourth grade, the district must get a waiver from the state or hire another teacher and break up classes.
“Breaking up classes this late in the year is not ideal, since children have bonded with their teachers and classmates,” said Tim Savoy, chief communication officer. “We typically apply for a waiver and add additional support for the teachers.”
Currently, Hays CISD has two fourth grade classes at Blanco Vista Elementary School (Veronica Garza and Kellie Guerra), two third grade classes at Kyle Elementary School (Jackie Aguilar and Carrie Adams), one first grade at Sunfield Elementary School (Shelby Rixse) one fourth grade class at Tom Green Elementary School (Diana Diaz) that are at 23-1.
“We are in the process of reviewing potential other K4 Supplemental Capacity options at Camino Real Elementary that do not require a class size waiver,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson.
To watch the full meeting, visit www.hayscisd.net/Page/194.
