DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.

(a) District employees are not considered employees of the state except as provided for in this section. The board may establish personnel policies as necessary to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the district.

(b) Each employee of the district shall serve 220 or 226 days each year, based on position, as determined by the board.

(c) A district employee required under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, to hold a certificate must be certified in accordance with that subchapter.

(d) Each employee shall be paid according to a salary schedule approved by the board. The schedule may allow for salary differentiation that provides for salaries at a Windham School District school site to be commensurate with educator salaries in school districts contiguous to that school site.

(d-1) Each school year, the district shall pay an amount at least equal to $2,000 to each classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time school counselor certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurse who is employed by the district and who would be entitled to a minimum salary under Section 21.402 if employed by a school district operating under Chapter 11. A payment under this section is in addition to wages the district would otherwise pay the employee during the school year.

(d-2) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the district shall increase the monthly salary of each classroom teacher, full-time speech pathologist, full-time librarian, full-time school counselor certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurse employed by the district by the greater of:

(1) $80; or

(2) the maximum uniform amount that, when combined with any resulting increases in the amount of contributions made by the district for social security coverage for the specified employees or by the district on behalf of the specified employees under Section 825.405, Government Code, may be provided using an amount equal to the product of $60 multiplied by the number of students in weighted average daily attendance in the district during the 2009-2010 school year.

(d-3) A payment under Subsection (d-2) is in addition to salary the district would otherwise pay the employees during the school year.

(e) Each employee of the district who qualifies for membership in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall be covered under the system to the same extent a qualified employee of any other district is covered.

(f) The state minimum personal leave program under Section 22.003 applies to a district employee in the same manner as that program applies to an employee of any other school district.

(g) The employees of the district are eligible for workers' compensation benefits under Chapter 501, Labor Code, and for group benefits under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code.