Brownsville Educators Stand Together

BISD Special Called Board Meeting (Superintendent Search) As we arrived @5:15pm…the Board was already in closed session, similar to what is expected for tomorrow’s meeting.

Just remember…you have the BEST Choice as your support team. We are here to keep you informed, advocate for you, and stand by your side every step of the way. ✊🏻

🚨 BISD Alert! 🚨

Teachers are beginning to be notified that they are being placed on the Excess List. District Guidelines are outlined below and should be followed by ALL campus administrators.

We encourage everyone to review the information carefully and know your rights and options. BEST is here to support you throughout the process.

Wishing you all a restful and the BEST summer ever! You all deserve it!

BISD Budget

Good Day,

We have received several communications about the BISD proposed budget for 2026-27, and what we are advocating for. We have been meeting with and corresponding with board members and the Superintendent on the budget since January. We have advocated for the following:
• All certified staff who did not receive the $5k raise last year to be given a raise this year. This would include Counselors, Librarians,
All Special Education Support staff, and Assistant Principals. None of these positions are available for the T.I.A, nor did any of them get a raise last year. It is going to be difficult in the future to find anyone to fill these positions if we don’t increase their compensation.
The district is recommending a 2% across the board.
• We asked for a 2% increase for classified staff and a 2% decompression increase for those who have worked twenty years plus. The district has recommended the 2% raise for all and a one percent decompression.
• An increase in the Dance Teacher Stipend for high school and middle school. Some of your high school dance programs have more students than the band and choir. At the high school we asked for it to be increased 2k to be equal of a Choir Director $5500-$7500.
At the Middle School we asked for it to be increased to that of an Assistant Choir Director going from $2500 to $4500. The district is recommending an $800 increase for both, which frankly is insulting.
• We also asked fir the high school dance programs to have an assistant since they often have two bussed to transport students to events and they only have one person to monitor all of the students.
This is a safety issue.
• We asked for a stipend for the Green Power Racing Teams. The Oliveira Team has finished third at Nationals this year and last.
• We oppose a proposed cut to high school librarians from 2-1.
• Some of the reasons we need two librarians include:
• * Supporting multiple classes and teachers throughout the day for research, literacy instruction, and technology integration.
• * Managing and supervising a large number of students before school, during lunches, and after school.
• * Maintaining circulation, cataloging, inventory, and collection development responsibilities.
• * Providing testing support, technology troubleshooting, and digital resources assistance for students and staff.
• * Coordinating campus programs such as reading initiatives, library orientation lessons, and collaborative instructional activities.
• * Ensuring adequate supervision and safety in a busy high school library environment.
•
• Additionally, our library assistant positions were eliminated two years ago, which already placed additional responsibilities on the librarians. Since then, librarians have absorbed many clerical and operational duties that were previously handled by support staff. Reducing the professional librarian staff from two to one would place an even greater strain on the library program and significantly impact the level of service we can provide to students and teachers.

We will have more next week.

A BEST Congratulations to Oliveira Middle School’s Green Power Racing Team, sponsored by member Jorge Jasso, on bringing home 3rd place at Nationals for the second year in a row! Outstanding job, team…your hard work, dedication, and teamwork continue to make us proud! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Good day,

We would like to inform you of contract concerns and update you on the BISD Budget meeting from last night.

Last week one of our members who is finishing her first year as a teacher in the district contacted us with a concern. BISD sent another P-1 contract for next year 2026-27.. The rationale she was given was that she signed her contract on August 6th, 2025 and the first day of In-Service was August 25, she had not worked a full year. BEST/AFT contacted Dr. Linda Gallegos with our concern on the unfairness of this. Dr. Gallegos and BEST had a spirited conversation on the subject. The current Legal Policy

DCA — Employment Practices: Probationary Contracts

Legal Framework

Education Code 21.102(a-1) [See 19 TAC 230.33(b) for list of certificate classes]

Term of Contract

A probationary contract may not be for a term exceeding one school year.

Education Code 21.102

There is no local policy. The key phrase is one-school year. What makes a school year?

Teacher contracts are ten months in length. September -July. Teachers start work early August and do not get their first check of the new contract year until September.

This year New Teacher Orientation is on July 23 so new teachers are working two months prior to their first check, and all are working one-month until their first new check.

We are asking the Board and the Policy Chairperson Daniella Lopez-Valdez to create a new policy defining what a school year is. We want to see language to the effect that all new certified employees who are approved prior to or at the September Board of Trustee Meetings will be considered to be working a full year.

Dr. Gallegos agreed to the unfairness of this contract and our member will get her P-2 contract at the June 16th board meeting. Dr. Gallegos did state that policy needed to be developed to determine a :school year.? We thank her or her ability to look at the issue and the fairness of the issue and not to go with this is what we have always done, excuses that we have heard from different administrations in the past.

Certified Staff you have 30 days to sign your contract don't be rushed into signing it.

Certified Non-Teachers your evaluations are to be done by May 29, 2026.

Budget Updates:

The main part was the budget deficit that is currently over $18 million dollars. Board member Frank Ortiz asked what the deficit would be as of July 1 and was told that it should be down to $10 million. The proposed two percent raise and other board recommendations would add another $8+ million to the deficit. The district will save 7.5 million if they do not provide a retention stipend this coming year. They will also save about 3.3 million if they phase in the 2:1 ratio at grades 5-8. If the district goes to 24:1 next year that reduces the 5.6 million cost in half. If the district continues to run in a deficit then our concern would be employee layoffs. As a Union our goal is to avoid that.

The next BISD Budget meeting will be June 8 where the final budget will be presented.



In Solidarity,

At the second BISD Budget meeting on May 7th the following information was shared:
* BISD lags behind the other districts in the valley from 0-10 years of experience. The difference is within one-two percent.
*Stipends we are at or above the other districts in the valley.
* Technology and Police are significantly below the may compared to market price.
* Recommendations
* 2% increase for all job groups. $1300 for teachers.
* 1% increase above the minimum pay.
* Strategic adjustments - should be more for police & technology
* one percent placement scale adjustment decompression for classified. We have asked for a 2% decompression increase.
Class Ratios:
The board has requested that we have a 22:1 class ati for 5-8th grades.
These are recommendations, nothing has been approved at this time.

Important Timelines for you to know.
Your summative evaluations need to be completed by this Wednesday May 6th. That is 15 days before the last day of instruction.
If the district chooses to non-renew you they must notify you ten days before the end of the school year. That would be Thursday May 14.
If you choose to apply for another school district and you are offered a position by the new school district you must submit your resignation 45 days before the first day of instruction in BISD.August 10. The forty-Five Day notice would have to be prior to or on June 25.
WE had our Spring Social, we thank all of you who showed up.
The election of delegates ended that night. Your delegates to the AFT National Convention are:
President Celia Saiz Broussard - Automatic Delegate
Esmeralda Garcia-Barajas
Patrick Hammes
Jorge Jasso
Beatriz Maldonado
Joleen Ramos

Thanks to all of the nominees and the members who came out to vote.

In Solidarity,

🎉 🎈BEST/AFT End‑of‑Year Social! 🎈🎉

BEST/AFT invites all members plus one guest to join us for a Fun and Festive End‑of‑Year Social! Come enjoy an evening filled with: LOTS of exciting raffles, Door prizes, Refreshments and Delicious variety of tacos catered by Las Cazuelas

📨 RSVP by: Thursday, April 30 (link provided)

https://forms.gle/4njz4rdV1fcE4BiGA

We're looking forward to celebrating with you!

Good Day,
We are nominating and electing delegates to the AFT National Convention which is being held in Washington D.C from July16-19. Travel Days will be July 15 & 20.
We will be sending up to six delegates and the President Celia Saiz-Broussard is an automatic delegate.
Here are the details:
Delegates must be members of BEST/AFT and in good standing.
You are allowed to nominate yourself or others. We will follow up to see if your nominee accepts the nomination. You can mail, email, or text your nomination form [email protected], (956) 204-1255 or Ana Capistran at [email protected] (956) 408-0170. You have up to April 24th 6:00 p.m. to send in your nominations. The Delegate election will be
May 2, 2026, at our May Social. Early voting will begin April 27-May 1 that week at the BEST/AFT office during office hours 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
A $250 deposit is required as we are paying for the flights, rooms and meals.
If you would like a nomination form please contact us..
In Solidarity,

BEST members, BISD Employees, and the Brownsville Community, please try to attend.