Plano South | April 2025

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY, SHELBIE HAMILTON & HANNAH JOHNSON

Plano ISD considers 3% raise for teachers in 2025-26

Head Start to receive new playground Construction on a new playground at Plano ISD’s Head Start campus is set to begin after PISD’s board of trustees approved a contract for the work on March 25. What you need to know The construction will include new play- ground equipment, synthetic turf surfacing and two shade structures. The total cost of the project is $434,962 with $339,200 coming from federal grant funding, and the rest being paid for through 2022 bond funds. Head Start is a federally funded child development program designed to provide comprehensive services to preschool chil- dren from low-income families. The campus is located at 1600 Rigsbee Drive, Plano.

Plano ISD officials are looking at raising teacher salaries by 3% in the 2025-26 school year. Along with teacher pay raises, district officials recommend increasing the salaries for new first-year teachers and auxiliary staff, said Duana Kindle, PISD’s chief of employee services, during an April 8 board meeting. The discussion District staff are recommending a 3% raise for teachers, nurses and librarians, which will cost $11.06 million , according to district documents. The starting salary for first-year teachers will be $62,200—a $1,200 increase from last year. “We feel that would keep us in a good position ... as districts around us are all competing for the same small group of new hires,” Kindle said. “This would help us remain competitive.” The current teacher pay scale moves in $400 increments as teachers gain experience in the district. District leaders are proposing raising the

Plano ISD budget appropriations Across all categories, 83.6% of the budget goes toward payroll, according to Plano ISD officials.

Instruction: 64.2% Student support: 12%

Non-student support: 11.5%

Instructional school leadership: 6.5% Administration: 2.2% Safety and security: 1.8% Other: 1.7%

SOURCE: PLANO ISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

pay scale to $450 increments to honor the teachers who have stayed with the district, Kindle said. District officials are also expecting to increase salaries for maintenance positions to remain competitive in the job market, Kindle said.

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