Lynn Walsh

Employees who notify the Houston school district early of their intent to leave their jobs may see cash rewards of up to $2,500 under a new proposal.

The proposal, according to the Houston Independent School District, would allow the district to identify vacant positions and make staffing changes earlier, which would help the school system plan next year’s budget.

HISD trustees were presented Thursday with the plan, which includes cash incentives based on how many years an employees has worked with the district — the more years of service, the higher the incentive.

The suggested cut-off date for notifying the district would be March 1, HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. Grier also suggested that the proposed program have a spending cap of $2.5 million.

HISD Trustee Harvin Moore said he did not think there should be a cap put on the program and asked Grier why the district would set one.

“That is fine with me,” Grier said. “I was just trying to be frugal.”

HISD’s human resources chief Ann Best said the intent is not to force employees out. “We are not trying to change behavior,” Best said. “We are just looking for early notification if they are leaving.”

Under the proposal, employees with less than four years of service at HISD would receive $500. Those with 5-10 years would receive $1,000; 11-15 years, $1,500; 16-20 years, $2,000; and those who have been with the district for 21-plus years would receive $2,500.

Details like the possibility of a spending cap and the notification cut-off date were not finalized Thursday, but would be worked out before the trustees took a final vote on the plan.

The HISD administration also said it is proposing that the time period when teachers are allowed to transfer to other positions in the district be moved earlier in the year to help the district identify vacancies and help with staffing changes earlier in the budget process. The proposed early transfer period would be moved to March 28-April 23.