Denton ISD teachers, staff to receive higher pay in FY 2026-27

Denton ISD employees will receive a pay increase starting in the 2026-27 school year, following the board of trustees' approval at a May 12 board meeting.

By the numbers

Teachers and librarians will receive a raise equivalent to 4% of the area median teacher salary. All other staff will receive a 2% midpoint raise.

The salary adjustments will cost the district about $9 million over fiscal year 2026-27, according to projections from Jason Rainey, the interim superintendent for human resources.

After the raise, a new Denton ISD teacher will earn $63,500, up from $60,500.

District budget projections show DISD collecting about $10 million more in revenue than spending for expenditures, according to an April 14 presentation. The salary adjustment will incur $9 million of the projected $10 million surplus.

Some background

An April presentation from Rainey showed that DISD teachers were earning less than the median teacher salary compared to 17 other nearby school districts, including Richardson, Plano, Allen and McKinney ISDs.

DISD teachers were earning between 96% and 97% of the market median teacher salary. After the raise, teachers will earn between 101% and 102% of the market median teacher salary.

DISD voters approved a tax rate election in November, which raised property taxes to $1.2069 per $100 of assessed value from $1.1569 per $100 of assessed value.

“During the [tax rate election,] we talked constantly about our teacher pay scale being dead last in our peer group,” DISD Superintendent Susannah O’Bara said. “The reason we brought the recommendation to you to begin with [is because] 4% was to get our teacher starting pay ... closer to the midpoint of our peer group.”

Rainey initially proposed the pay raise at an April 14 meeting.

Looking ahead

The new salaries for teachers, librarians and staff will take effect starting in the next academic and fiscal year, according to a district communication.