ALIEF ISD board approves 3% midpoint pay increase and recruitment, retention incentives for 2025–26

At a March 4 workshop the ALIEF Independent School District board of trustees approved changes to the district’s compensation plan for the 2025–26 school year and a related resolution authorizing recruitment and retention incentive payments for certified teachers.

Administrators told trustees the board was approving a districtwide 3% midpoint increase for eligible staff, at an estimated cost of about $9,000,000, and a separate incentive program targeted to recruit bilingual, special education and other certified teachers while retaining current certified staff. "We are asking for a 3% of midpoint increase for all eligible staff," Emily Littlefield, ALIEF ISD chief financial officer, told trustees while presenting the proposal.

The board heard a breakdown of the recruitment incentives proposed in agenda item 5.2: $5,000 for newly hired full‑time bilingual teachers, $5,000 for newly hired full‑time special education self‑contained teachers, $4,000 for other newly hired certified full‑time teachers, and $8,000 for teachers who have Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) designation. Returning certified teachers would receive a $3,000 retention payment, administration said. "For the recruitment incentive, these are new certified teachers... for bilingual education would be $5,000," Littlefield said. The administration estimated the recruitment incentive cost at about $8,400,000.

Administration outlined the payment schedule: new‑hire incentives would be paid in two installments — half in the September 2025 pay period and half in September 2026 — while the $3,000 retention payment for current certified teachers would be paid in September 2025 in full, Littlefield said.

Board members questioned funding sources and eligibility. In response, a district staff speaker explained funding: "The $9,000,000 for the raise... came to us with the passage of the voters of the VATRE," and the retention incentive would come from payroll underspending this year, meaning savings generated by teacher vacancies, the speaker said. Trustees also discussed eligibility details, with administrators clarifying that the 3% midpoint increase would apply broadly to eligible employees (including noninstructional staff on applicable pay schedules) and that additional staffing adjustments could follow during the regular budget process.

Trustee Lily Truong moved to approve the compensation plan for 2025–26; Trustee Rick Moreno seconded. The board voted 5–0 to approve the compensation plan and then voted 5–0 to approve the resolution finding a public purpose to provide the recruitment and retention incentives and to authorize payment as presented.

Administrators said the expedited timing — advancing the compensation changes ahead of the usual May budget cycle — was intended to improve the district’s competitiveness at spring job fairs and to reduce the district’s uncertified bilingual teacher count by about 25%, a target administration said would require hiring roughly 30 certified bilingual teachers.

The board and administration discussed next steps, including communications and marketing to reach potential hires and continuing review of remaining pay grades. Trustees asked administration to provide regular updates on hiring progress, particularly for bilingual and special‑education positions.

Votes at a glance: The motion to approve the 2025–26 compensation plan (agenda item 5.1) was moved by Trustee Lily Truong, seconded by Trustee Rick Moreno and approved 5–0. The motion to approve the resolution authorizing recruitment and retention incentives (agenda item 5.2) was moved by Trustee Lily Truong, seconded by Trustee Anne Williams and approved 5–0.

Ending: Administration said it will return to the board later in the budget cycle with additional staffing and compensation items, and that any state legislative changes to teacher pay requirements would be evaluated and presented to the board when those amounts are finalized.