Board approves 2.5% salary increase for 2026-27 school year

To remain competitive with other districts for hiring and retaining staff, the Weatherford ISD Board of Trustees approved a 2.5-percent pay increase for all teachers and employees at its June 8 meeting.

Total cost for the measure is estimated at $1.67 million for fiscal year 2026-27.

The vote came shortly after trustees received an update from Chief Financial Officer Patricia Melendez on both the 2025-26 actual and 2026-27 proposed budgets in a work session.

While final taxable values won’t be received until July 25, Melendez presented balanced budgets for both with and without an increase for comparison. Each leaves the district with approximately three and a half months of fund balance, which is consistent with board policy. 

The increase for teachers also includes the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) recommended market adjustment, which brings WISD more in line with current salaries in the area. 

Member Jeff Ford asked about that market adjustment for non-teacher personnel since that wasn’t something the state helps to fund. 

Kristy Down, Executive Director of Human Resources, explained that TASB was also working on the market for those positions and would likely be completed with that study in about a year or so. 

Members also received welcome news about an approximate $300,000 increase in the ADA and special populations line item for 2025-26 and an adjustment of $2 million for buses that couldn’t be purchased at an auction as previously planned. 

That money is still reserved when needed in the future for buses. 

For 2026-27, no changes were made to the taxable nor Comptroller’s values but revenues increased by $120,00 due to a higher collection of delinquent taxes that hadn’t been accounted for previously. 

Melendez explained that the next steps in the budget approval process include finalizing projected revenues and expenditures after the district receives certified taxable values in late July, followed by a budget work session on August 10 with a public hearing and adoption of the proposed budget and tax rate on Aug. 25. 

Also at the meeting, Jeff Robert with Hilltop Securities briefed trustees on the bond refunding parameter order which would be used to allow the district to reduce interest and costs to pay off debt earlier than originally planned. 

Robert explained that the order establishes minimum savings thresholds and allows designated district officials to complete transactions when conditions are met. He said that WISD has refunded or refinanced outstanding bond issue four times in the last 14 years and that it has saved $34 million. 

He added that paying off bonds early has reduced WISD’s bond principal by $21.6 million and subsequent interest by $7.1 million for a total debt reduction of $28.7 million in the last four years. 

For this specific order, WISD’s I&S tax rate is expected to drop to $0.1790, a saving of 10 cents for the 2026-27 year. 

The board also:

• received an update on the Child Nutrition Program, which maintains its own budget and provides meals to students even during the summer months;
• approved Amber Ross as WHS Ninth Grade Center principal and Dr. Terry Morawski as Assistant Superintendent of Operations.

The board will next meet on July 27.