McAllen ISD trustees approve 2025–26 compensation plan after public pleas from librarians and counselors

Librarians and school counselors pressed the McAllen Independent School District Board of Trustees on June 24 for better pay and recognition, and trustees approved a districtwide compensation package for the 2025–26 school year after several hours of public comment and board discussion.

Unidentified as part of the public comment period, Deborah Rubio, speaking for district librarians, told trustees, “Librarians are not extras. We are not just part of your rotation. We are essential.” Rubio said the district has lost 26 of 32 librarian positions in the past six years and urged the board to recognize librarians’ credentials and their day-to-day instructional role.

Julia Aniseto, who identified herself as a counselor with McAllen ISD, recounted long service to the district and asked the board to address pay disparities with classroom teachers. “I’m about $5,000 short of that, and I should have retired 3 years ago,” Aniseto said, describing how counselors’ scheduled increases historically have been smaller than teachers’ and noting counselors’ broad responsibilities.

The public comments preceded a presentation and recommendation from Dr. Albert Canales, chief human resources officer, who outlined the administration’s compensation proposal. Administration recommended targeted raises for teachers by experience band, a 2.5% pay-grade midpoint adjustment for nonteaching professional staff, and a guarantee that paraprofessionals and auxiliary hourly staff would receive at minimum an increase of $0.75 per hour or be adjusted to their paygrade midpoint, whichever is greater. Canales also recommended an additional employer contribution to the employee health plan of $660 annually. He told the board the total cost of pay increases and related items was about $9.97 million, with roughly $2.0 million in additional fringe-benefit costs.

Board members acknowledged the limits imposed by state law and guidance from the Texas Education Agency. Trustees and staff said much of the state funding under House Bill 2 was dedicated to specific teacher-focused allotments, which limited the district’s flexibility to apply state funds across all employee groups. During the discussion trustees and administration described several local options explored during budget workshops — stipends, altering days of service, or a targeted pay-equity effort — and explained why some were impractical or would not produce the intended effect without additional funds.

Trustees did commit one immediate, targeted change requested in comments: the district increased the master’s-degree stipend (applies across the teacher pay scale) from $2,000 to $2,500 and said librarians receiving that stipend would keep it despite pay-scale reclassification. Trustees also discussed longer-term options, including locally funded stipends or pay-equity adjustments, and asked staff to continue exploring approaches for upcoming budget cycles.

After discussion, the board voted to approve the compensation plan as presented. Trustee Delagarza Lopez made the motion to approve; Trustee Pena seconded. The motion carried unanimously, 7–0.

Votes at a glance from the meeting related to employee pay and staffing: - Approved 2025–26 compensation plan (motion: approve compensation plan including teacher increases by experience band, 2.5% midpoint adjustment for nonteaching professionals, hourly minimum increase of $0.75 or to midpoint, and $660 annual employer health contribution) — mover: Trustee Delagarza Lopez; second: Trustee Pena; outcome: approved 7–0.

What happens next: trustees said the district will continue work in the coming budget cycle to identify ways to reduce pay disparities for groups not covered by teacher-targeted state allotments. Administration will implement the approved increases for the 2025–26 fiscal year per the district payroll timeline.