Austin ISD Teachers Asked to Pay Back $2000 Bonuses

Some teachers are having payback a $2000 bonus that they weren't supposed to receive!  The bonuses that went out $2,000 stipend went out to all teachers in "hard-to-staff" positions, such as bilingual and special needs educators. However, the bonus was only supposed to go out to 'new hires.' A total of around 500 teachers were overpaid with this bonus.

According to KUVE, Officials with Austin ISD said they contacted staff as soon as they discovered the issue. They're now offering the teachers options to return the overpayment in the way that works best for them. The district is working with affected teachers on a payment plan. In a statement, an Austin ISD spokesperson said, "We regret any frustration this may have caused." If you do the math, this was about a $1 million dollar mistake. Do you think it is right for the district to ask the teachers to pay back the bonuses?

Texas Teen Who Was Born in Jail is Heading to Harvard Law School

This is such an awesome story! 2023 graduate of Conroe High School, Sky Castner opened her graduation speech with the words "I was born in prison." According to yourconroenews.com, Castner was born while her mother was in the Galveston County Jail  Her mother was incarcerated at the time of her birth. Her dad picked the newborn, Castner, up from jail and raised her as a single dad. Castner grew up moving around a lot with her dad but always stayed in Montgomery County. She didn't let her family situation deter her path in life!

With focus and determination, she graduated 3rd in Conroe High’s class of 2023 and in the fall will live out her dream of attending Harvard University to study law. With so many things going against her, she stayed focused!  This is an incredible story and you can read about her full journey by clicking here.

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