CCISD board of trustees to consider pay increases for substitutes, school drivers for 2021-2022 school year

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Independent School District is facing some personnel challenges, due to the number of absences caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. This has resulted in a shortage of substitute teachers, something that the district faced during the 2020-2021 school year.
At tonight’s board of trustees meeting, CCISD administration is proposing a temporary increase in pay for substitute teachers for 2021-2022 school year, with substitutes covering teacher absences to receive an additional $30 per full day and $15 per half day. 
Currently, a non-degreed substitute teacher receives $75 for a full day of service, and this would be bumped to $105 per day. A substitute with a bachelor’s degree would receive $115 for a full day, with a SBEC certified teacher receiving $125 for a full day. 
CCISD is also proposing an increase for bus drivers for the same reason, with the bus driver shortage being a similar issues along with COVID-19 related absences. According to the meeting agenda, other surrounding districts have already increased their hourly bus driver pay and incentives, to the extant that CCISD is “uncompetitive” in recruitment and retention of bus drivers. 
Administration is recommending increasing the starting bus drive pay to $18 per hour and to adjust current drivers on the scale as well. The district is also proposing a retention incentive for all drivers, totaling $500 for the 2021-2022 school year. 
According to the district’s weekly update, as of Friday Sept. 10, there were a total of 48 staff with positive COVID-19 cases so far this school year, with a total of 207 students districtwide. 
Also on the board’s agenda for this evening are purchases greater than $25,000, to include the district’s annual insurance, for auto, property, school liability, and privacy & information security, totaling $512,481 from budgeted funds. The annual SMART tag renewal is also up for approval, in the amount of $31,453.40. CCISD is also looking to purchase two 54-passenger buses, for a total of $217,676.
The board is also being requested to approve authorizing the district to submit at intent to apply notice to the Texas Education Agency for a T-CLAS grant. The district is planning to apply for a grant in the amount of $830,000 for the 2021-2022 school year. Altogether, the state is making $1.4 billion available to school districts to use in the areas of strategic planning, instructional materials, “teacher pipelines,” more time for students most in need in the areas of expanding instructional time in the summer and targeted tutoring, as well as “innovative school models.”
This evening’s meeting also includes recognitions, with CCISD Mary Ann Jack receiving the Texas Heroes for Children Award, from Texas State Board of Education District 14 Representative Sue Malone.
Walmart-Copperas Cove and the Carlson Law Firm will be recognized for their support of CCISD’s 6th Annual Stuff the Bus event.
The CCHS Cheerleaders and the CCHSD Copperettes will be recognized for winning All-American honors.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the CCISD Administration board room, located at 408 S. Main St.