Organization Overview
Pine Tree Independent School District (PTISD) in Longview, Texas, serves approximately 4,500 students across 14 athletic programs at the 5A high school, middle school, and junior high levels. Before adopting Arbiter Pay, PTISD struggled with slow, manual payment processes that left officials waiting weeks for compensation and put sensitive personal data at risk.
By implementing automated W-9 and 1099 payments, PTISD significantly improved its efficiency and security in processing payments.
With Arbiter Pay, PTISD streamlined payments, reduced processing costs, and enhanced compliance with state and federal regulations.
Using paper checks was costing us $5-6 per check to process. With Arbiter, we are down to almost nothing. It’s a no-brainer for us!
— Jody Berryhill| District Athletic Director, PTISD, TX
The Challenge
Before Arbiter Pay, PTISD relied on outdated, manual processes to register and pay officials. This system led to several challenges:
- Administrative Burden: Secretaries spent significant time managing paperwork instead of focusing on higher-priority tasks.
- Delayed Payments: Officials sometimes waited up to three weeks to receive payment.
- High Costs: Paper checks cost the district $5-6 per check to process.
- Data Security Risks: Personal information, including Social Security numbers, passed through multiple hands, increasing the risk of compromise.
The Solution
PTISD implemented Arbiter Pay in 2015 and saw immediate improvements:
- Faster Payments: Officials and event workers were paid within minutes of game completion.
- Cost Savings: Check processing expenses dropped by nearly 80%, down to less than $1.50 per check.
- Automated Compliance: The district no longer had to manually process 1099s—officials filled out W-9s online, and Arbiter Pay handled the rest.
- Reduced Workload: Administrative staff regained valuable time previously spent on manual payment processing.
Before Arbiter Pay one of my secretaries was spending half of her time working
on paperwork for officials. Now her time is freed up to work on more important tasks.— Jody Berryhill| District Athletic Director, PTISD, TX
Expanding Arbiter Pay Beyond Athletics
After seeing success with Arbiter Pay for officials, PTISD expanded its use to other event workers, including:
✅ Tutors
✅ Band instructors
✅ UIL judges for academic competitions
PTISD’s successful rollout has positioned the district as a model for mid-sized schools across Texas looking to modernize their payment systems. Their story illustrates how digital transformation—when done right—can lead to faster service, better compliance, and more trust across the board.
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