Northwest ISD officials approve $7M in pay raises for teachers, staff

All paraprofessionals will receive a 5% increase from the previous school year, and there will be a 2% pay raise for counselors, librarians and other positions not impacted by the state and local teacher allotments based on the previous year's salary, NISD documents state.

Northwest ISD’s starting teacher salary will now be set at $64,750, which includes a base salary of $62,500 and the district’s $2,250 local teacher allotment. Last year, the starting salary was $61,500 for new teacher hires.

Once a teacher has been employed for at least three years in Texas, they will receive a state teacher allotment of $2,500 and will receive a $5,000 state teacher allotment for five years or more of teaching.

According to a district presentation from Kim Barker, assistant superintendent for human resources, the district is working to have competitive compensation compared to surrounding districts in North Texas.

Last year, Northwest ISD approved the local teacher allotment to give to teachers with less than two years of experience, Barker said.

Special education teachers and personnel will also receive stipend increases. NISD officials approved a $1,500 stipend for non-unit teachers and a $1,000 stipend increase for special education teachers, raising that amount to $3,000.

Overall, the pay increases, along with stipends to special education personnel, will add roughly $7 million to NISD’s budget, district documents state.

The board also adjusted the 2026-27 program staffing budgets, amounting to more than $2.5 million, by a unanimous vote.

The staffing budget updates include additional funds to special education programming, a new business teacher hire, the new Teacher Residency Program, campus support—which includes English as a second language programming—and additional funds to maintain the district’s facilities.