McKinney ISD approves 3.5% teacher and staff raises for 2026-27

McKinney ISD is betting that a 3.5% raise, plus targeted stipends, will keep more teachers in its classrooms and make the district more attractive to job seekers across North Texas. Trustees approved the 2026-27 compensation package at their April 20 board meeting, setting the starting salary for first-year teachers at $64,700 and pushing total compensation for those hires to $68,372 when benefit contributions are included.

The raise applies to certified teachers, non-exempt eligible employees and eligible exempt employees, with pay lifted 3.5% based on the midpoint of each salary scale. Teachers with a master’s degree will start at $66,200. McKinney ISD also increased stipends for hard-to-fill roles, including $5,000 for special education and resource teachers, $8,000 for teachers in specialized programs, $5,000 for bilingual teachers and $1,500 for teachers with master’s or doctoral degrees.

The district framed the package as a retention and recruitment move at a time when staffing remains a pressure point in public education. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Alana Chisum said the plan is intended to help the district retain and recruit employees, and Superintendent Shawn Pratt said it reflects appreciation for the people serving McKinney ISD students and families. Chief Financial Officer Marlene Harbeson said the raise was built into the district’s updated projected budget, signaling that payroll remains a central cost as leaders prepare future financial plans.

The vote also extends a pattern of compensation changes in McKinney ISD. In June 2025, trustees approved a 2025-26 package that raised first-year teacher pay to $63,500 and added $2,500 for teachers with three to four years of experience and $5,000 for those with five or more years of service. That plan also raised pay 4% for paraprofessional, auxiliary and maintenance staff and 3% for non-hourly professional staff, at an estimated cost of about $9.9 million, with nearly $6 million drawn from fund balance.

State policy has added more pressure to keep salaries competitive. House Bill 2, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 4, 2025, created the Teacher Retention Allotment and Support Staff Retention Allotment and required districts to amend budgets and salary schedules for the 2025-26 year. McKinney ISD, which serves 23,823 students on 33 campuses, reported a base average teaching salary of $67,465 in 2025, up $15,182 since 2015. With employee childcare, free pre-K for staff and a two-year new-teacher mentorship also part of its recruiting pitch, the district is signaling that pay is only one part of the effort to hold onto experienced educators in McKinney and beyond.