Despite a bill filed this spring that would cut school funding for districts that offer domestic partner benefits, Austin Independent School District will offer the benefits this fall.
The announcement this week comes several months after Pflugerville ISD approved the benefits in October and became the first district in Texas to offer them.
AISD spokeswoman Tiffany Young said the district has been working with its joint insurance company, employee groups and lawyers on the plan since September. The plan would provide health benefits to opposite- and same-sex domestic partners.
AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen told Austin’s Fox 7 that the district has wanted to offer the benefits for several years but finally made room in the budget.
“We just simply believe that it’s the right thing to do,” Carstarphen said. “Our family units in Austin are very diverse. They basically reflect the kind of diverse student body we have and therefore we know our families need diversity of choices within insurance plans in order to serve them well as employees.’
Young said it’s estimated that about 400 employees will add a domestic partner, with an estimated cost of $600,000 to the district.
Watch Fox 7’s report here.
