Willis ISD adopts 2025–26 compensation plan: teachers get state-funded raises, other staff get 3% increases

The Willis Independent School District Board of Trustees on July 9 approved the district’s 2025–26 compensation plan, applying new state funding for teacher retention and providing a 3% pay increase for other staff categories.

District presenter Garrett Montay told trustees that under House Bill 2 teachers meeting the state’s eligibility rules will receive the state‑funded supplements: $2,500 for teachers in years three and four and $5,000 for teachers in year five and beyond. He explained the state funding is designated as the teacher‑retention allotment and goes to the base salary of eligible teachers.

Montay said TEA guidance narrowly defines who qualifies for the state supplement; he summarized the district’s interpretation as positions that average at least four hours per day in an academic instructional (or RCT) setting and that require the appropriate certification and coding (positions coded to district classification 0817). Montay said the district had identified classroom teachers and certain specialists (for example, dyslexia specialists who provide one‑on‑one instruction) as eligible for the state supplement.

District action and local funding: For positions the state did not fund, Willis ISD created a separate pay scale and applied a 3% step increase for instructional professionals (instructional coaches, librarians, nurses, speech therapists, occupational therapists, coordinators and behavior specialists). Nonexempt hourly employees and administrators were also scheduled to receive 3% increases to base pay. Montay estimated the district cost added to the budget for teacher raises at just under $1.9 million; he said the state would fund about $2.505 million of the teacher portion. Other components — instructional professionals and nonexempt hourly increases — added roughly $90,000 and $337,000 respectively, with administration increases around $230,000. Combined, he told the board the compensation package adds about $2.69 million to the 2025–26 budget.

Questions from trustees during the workshop asked about substitutes and long‑term substitutes. Montay said district staff were reviewing substitute pay levels and expected to include detailed comparisons in the weekly board report; he said certified substitute pay had been increased and that uncertified substitutes had previously been increased by $10 per hour. Montay told trustees the board could adjust substitute rates prior to budget adoption if they chose to do so.

Board vote and implementation: The board approved the compensation package by a 7–0 vote. Montay said the district would publish adjusted pay scales and begin implementation with the new plan reflected in payroll beginning with the next fiscal year as applicable.

Ending: Trustees approved the compensation package as presented; Montay said staff would continue to refine details before final budget adoption and would include substitute comparisons in written reports to the board.