1st - thqere has not been a "step pay raise". This is the first raise at all in 3 years. Let's not forget that we had an insurance premium increase. 2nd - Cameras - I would be more than happy to have a camera in my class as I have nothing to hide. Wonder if you plan to pay teachers to stay after and watch the videos or is that something you would expect us to do after school on our own time. As it is now, I don't know of many jobs that require you to stay after your scheduled work day (without pay) to tutor, train, attend meetings or PTA meetings. ps. When can we install cameras at your job as well? 3rd - If you personally knew a teacher you would know that we spend endless ours of our own time to plan,attend trainings afterschool and throughout the 2 month summer (unpaid), start school a week before training to set up our rooms (unpaid) and use our own money to purchase supplies for our classrooms. We do not get paid to be off.... We receive a yearly salary and choose to have it in 10 payments or 12. If I could clock in and be paid hourly, I would be a millionaire. 4th - I ask you to spend one day in a classroom and TRY to teach. It is certainly not babysitting. WITHOUT A TEACHER, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO READ OR WRITE. I am sure you were not born a "genius". So in reality without us,you would be illiterate and jobless. BUT WHO AM I TO JUDGE!

Public schools will be better off taking Bill Gate's suggestion of installing cameras in classrooms and having teachers spend a few hours a week going over them together for the positives and negatives constructive criticism. Watch miracles happen with the students. Then it could also really justify who deserves raises and who doesn't. Cameras help improve quality a lot, I think Bill has the right idea (and he has spent money implementing that, just need more public schools to catch on, it will only benefit the kids and the taxpayers in the long run).

For the last three years, my salary has actually decreased each year (reduction/elimination of stipend/retention).

Don't forget that district took away a raise given as an "incentive stipend" to convince teachers to stay longer. I was given about 5 years ago but retracted last June. So this year the teachers will see less then last year unless the new raise is in addition to the normal step raise given by the state.

Tell me, does this include the automatic "step" increase teachers get every year but is never reported on?

A "starting" teacher makes $46,000. 3 months off in the summertime. 2 weeks off for x-mas, 1 one week for thanksgiving and also 1 week off for spring break. Not to mention the sick days they are provided for.

wow thank you neisd for giving away more of the taxpayers money.

Yes i agree , they make wall street seem like children .

A whooping 2% increase? Give me a bucking Freak! After three years of rising prices for goods and services, poor employees have no more holes to tighten the belt, while one hundred of the top "executives" in the same district receive each about the same compensation than a state governor. Official abuse at its best. They keep asking the government and the public for more money to support their lavish lifestiles, while the students keep swimming in a sea of mediocrity. Check the new STAAR test results. That district will be the reason its employees start organizing an education workers union, to strenghten the check-and-balance system over there.