Portales schools approves budget, including raises

PORTALES — The beginning budget for Portales Municipal Schools’ 2018-2019 fiscal year will be $23.2 million, according to officials.

Finance Director Sarah Stubbs said at the Portales Board of Education’s regular meeting on Thursday that the number — higher than the district’s previous budget of $21.7 million — is due to the district paying off some of its bonds.

She reported to the board that the district will also see an increase in take-home pay for employees.

“It just depends on where they fall on the salary schedule, how large or how small it’s gonna be,” she said.

Teachers will see salaries as high as $54,000, according to Stubbs.

Also at Thursday’s meeting:

• Board members approved the addition of a cross country track team to the Portales High School athletic department.

Superintendent Johnnie Cain said the district wanted to try the sport for boys and girls in hopes that students can “pick a niche there that’s not football or soccer.”

• The district’s application to the New Mexico PreK program was approved.

Cain said the district generally receives around $3,200 per student in its pre-kindergarten program.

“This year, we did request 110 slots instead of the 87 that we’ve had over the last several years, and that was due to several reasons. One, with the raises, we had teachers moving across levels,” he said, “and we wanted to make sure this thing can sustain itself and we’re not having to pull out of operational to do so.”

• Board members approved a funding application to the State Bilingual Multicultural Education Program.

The application was for $600,000 for a continuation of bilingual education for students, according to Federal Programs Director Rick Segovia.