Observer is correct...up here pink slips went out already & hiring freezes are in effect. Teachers in VISD should be extremely grateful right about now.

I agree with those commentors who argue that there is a lot of non-academic and administrative fluff in VISD that could and should be cut. That said, as far a teachers go, not getting a raise sure beats getting laid off.

Gridiron is right about cutting positions at central office, but has a lot of misunderstandings about Liberty and VCAL. Liberty is basically an alternative ed setting for students who are on the verge of dropping out - it's VISD's last chance to keep them in school to graduate. Pressure to drop out comes from various places. Unbelievably, it sometimes comes from home. Parents need their high school children to babysit their younger children - that is only one of several reasons some parents encourage their student to drop out. There are reasons that stem from the students of course - often those who had children before graduation do not finish school. The point here is that the drop out rate and quality of education is not solely the product of the school or district but also the home, the community, and the cultural attitude toward education.

VCAL does not just offer AP classes - they offer dual enrollment as well and is entirely different.

The important thing to understand is that these things happen because of the way education is funded. Students have so many options in our district in a desperate attempt to keep kids in school because that is one factor that influences how much money comes in.

GridIron is right. Time to cut the fat off the meat at Profit Drive.

First of all VISD taxes are exceptionally high. It's NO secret whatsoever that the product in the classrooms, the dropout rate, the hiring and firing practices for many years, the sub par athletics, poor facilities, and so many other issues that have reflected so poorly on the district and this community, DO NOT warrant such extreme taxation. If there was a product to be proud of that garnered State attention as a who who of school districts, I could stomach the excessive taxes, however sadly there is nothing to brag and boast about, except for a pretty new Fine Arts facility and a new pool that the tax payers bought and are paying for.

The Administrative Position at 102 Profit Drive MUST be evaluated closely. Take a close look at some of these positions. What in the heck are these positions and why do they exist?

What on earth is "Liberty Academy" and why aren't all those classes being offered in the High Schools? Why do we pay an administrative team to run a school and programs, that two high schools are very capable of providing at half the cost? How much in additional energy do we spend there? What about all the transportation cost to and from that campus? Is Liberty Academy really and truly "Advanced Learning"? C'mon, why dont the High Schools offer AP classes? That's how its done almost everywhere else, and why would I want to go to another High School if I were in AP classes? If I go to High School at West High School, then I want to go to school at West High School!

Also, why does the Superintendent have 2 secretaries? Why do we have a Magnet School Program? The Magnet school program is an absolute FARCE! What a joke. How much money do we dump into that nonsense? I there really any true benefit other than it lines the districts pockets with money form governmental sources.

I could go on and on and on about some of these positions at 102 Profit Drive, however I don't have enough space or time to even begin! Take a look through the VISD web site. Many of these positions are hidden and you have to dig for names and departments, but spend some time on that web site and your blood will boil!

Are y'all just going to ignore the athletic departments? Lots and lots of money being spent in salaries...

we trust our teachers to raise our kids for us! they spend more time with our kids than we do! teachers should be highly paid!

VISD is top heavy with management types which normally get paid far more than teachers and do far less when it comes to teaching the students. REMOVE THEM and save more! At this time in the economy, MORE TAXES ARE NOT an option!

Cut the administrators.

instead of cutting teachers pay cut some of your other people that I sure you don't need and cut out some of the bus trips and you save on gas and bus driver. Not stepping on any toes but there lots of things that could be cut but the teachers pay.