South San Antonio ISD board approves 2025–26 pay plan, raises starting teacher pay to $60,000; one trustee abstains

The South San Antonio ISD Board of Managers on Wednesday approved the district's 2025–26 pay compensation plan, which raises the starting teacher salary to $60,000 and incorporates state retention allotments and locally directed increases.

Rita Ureste, executive director of human resources, presented the plan and said it reflects a combination of state-directed allotments and district choices. "The state has set $2,500 for each classroom teacher with at least 3 years and less than 5 years of experience, and $5,000 for each classroom teacher with 5 or more years of experience," Ureste said, describing the teacher retention allotment tied to House Bill 2. The presentation said base salary increases tied to those provisions would total roughly $1.8 million, with related benefit costs of about $200,000 for a total compensation impact of roughly $2 million.

The district is recommending a $60,000 starting salary for teachers with less than three years' experience. Staff also proposed a 1.5% increase for support staff groups (counselors, librarians, teacher assistants, custodial staff, food service workers, bus drivers, administrative assistants and maintenance), funded via a support-staff retention allotment calculated at $45 per ADA and yielding approximately $291,000 total compensation impact after benefits.

Ureste and Superintendent Dr. Hinojosa said the district also budgeted an additional $1.5 million to provide targeted incentive pay (described in the presentation as approximately a 5% budgeted increase) for certain early-career teachers, subject to performance criteria.

The plan allocates a 1.53% increase for administrative staff and maintains additional stipends, substitute rates and other pay elements; paraprofessionals will continue to receive 10% of the teacher incentive allotment under the district's practice, in addition to the percent increase described in the plan.

During public comment, Tom Cummins, representing AFT (American Federation of Teachers) South San Antonio teachers and support personnel, praised the $60,000 starting salary but urged larger increases for second- and third-year teachers, higher raises for nonteaching professionals and stronger pay for paraprofessionals. "Paraprofessionals and auxiliary personnel are hourly and will be hit hardest by inflation," Cummins said.

In the roll-call vote on the compensation plan, five trustees voted yes, one voted abstain and one voted yes (total tally recorded as motion passed).