Tolleson district says teacher pay now tops state, posts draft 2026–27 budget and override statement for July hearing

At a board meeting, the Moderator said the district’s entry in the Auditor General’s classroom spending report now shows its teacher salaries ‘‘more than $20,000 above the state average,’’ a marked change from 2017 when the district trailed the state, according to a chart the Moderator highlighted.

The Moderator framed the salary gains as part of broader financial stewardship: he recognized Joyce Council and the district finance team for receiving national awards from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and ASBO International for financial accountability and transparency.

The board posted a draft fiscal year 2026–27 budget as its first action item. The Moderator said the district is working from draft state figures after the legislature’s late session and expects the state to provide only a ‘‘2 percent’’ minimum increase under Propositions 301 and 123; the budget as presented will be revised when final state numbers are available. The board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed budget at its July meeting; the Moderator said the board will accept public comment and take a final vote at that meeting.

The board also will vote to approve a statement for inclusion in the voter guide supporting a maintenance-and-operations override, the Moderator said, describing the override dollars as intended to support salaries and district programs.

The Moderator said the district undergoes an annual external audit and compliance questionnaire administered by Heinfeld and Meech; he described the questionnaire as ‘‘hundreds of questions’’ that typically include around 10 answers of ‘no’ across most districts.

What’s next: the district will hold a public hearing on the proposed FY 2026–27 budget at its July board meeting and is expected to vote on both the budget and the board’s override statement at that meeting.