Trustee Tobi Jackson has one wish for Fort Worth ISD’s teacher pay.
The school board heard plans May 20 outlining the district’s $22 million teacher compensation package for the 2025-26 academic year, including a self-directed bump in starting teacher pay and likely mandated raises from the Texas Legislature.
Jackson pointed to the newly proposed starting teacher salary of $64,500, up $1,500 from the 2024-25 pay.
“We have two neighboring districts, which — I love our neighbors, but I want to beat them,” she told Woodrow Bailey, chief of talent management.
“I do, too,” Bailey said.
“Is there some reason we don’t throw in an extra $100 and go to $64,600?” Jackson asked.
Bailey looked over his shoulder for a quick glance at Chief Financial Officer Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria.
Shifting dollars for the proposed starting salary was difficult as administrators assembled the budget, Bailey said.
“We were able to get there,” he said, adding administrators can explore what it would take for a higher starting salary. “We also don’t know what neighboring districts will do because everyone’s in a wait game.”
Waiting on what? The answer is the Texas Legislature.
The Texas House and Senate brokered a deal May 21 on providing teacher raises alongside a slate of other funding increases, The Dallas Morning News reported. The compromise version of House Bill 2 dedicates $4.2 billion in teacher pay raises and gives school districts an additional $55 per student.
The Senate must still vote on HB 2 before sending it to the House where members will need to concur to send it to Gov. Greg Abbott. Lawmakers have until June 2 to agree.
Bailey focused on the Senate’s previous proposal calling for a teacher pay raise system determined by years of experience.
Fort Worth ISD would receive almost $20.7 million from the state for teacher compensation.
However, the Senate’s previous provisions did not account for new teachers. The district anticipates spending $1.3 million for its proposed higher starting salary.
Trustee Anne Darr had questions.
“Will we receive additional funding from the state of Texas in order to cover the cost of these increases?” she asked Bailey.
The short answer? Yes. Bailey elaborated that the Senate would only provide additional dollars for pay boosts for teachers with three years or more of experience.
“With this bill, is this a one-time raise or is this something that will be funded again next year as well?” Darr asked.
Currently, school districts anticipate the funding will be permanent, Bailey said.
Darr’s concern, though, was rooted in the fact that the Legislature has required teacher raises in the past and only provided short-term funding.
Trustees are expected to consider the compensation plan in June alongside the 2025-26 school year budget.
Fort Worth ISD, Jackson emphasized, needs to be competitive.
If other districts set their salary at $64,700, Fort Worth ISD should find a way to beat that.
“Throw in $200,” Jackson said.
Bailey chuckled.
“You’re like me,” he said, “very competitive.”
Jacob Sanchez is a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
