Royse City ISD approves 3% raise, new teacher salaries for 2026-27

Royse City ISD approved a 3% compensation increase for 2026-27 that translates into a $1,900 raise for all teaching staff and a new teacher starting salary of $61,500, up from $60,000 in the district’s current plan. The board’s package is meant to help the fast-growing district hold onto employees as enrollment continues to climb across Royse City and western Rockwall County.

The plan also gives non-teaching employees a 3% increase from the midpoint of their pay range and updates each non-teaching pay family. For new hires, the district set a salary schedule with a minimum of $61,500 and a maximum of $71,950. Royse City ISD also added a district-funded telehealth benefit for all employees, including dependents and spouses, and a $1,000 one-time loyalty payment for annualized staff if enrollment rises after the snapshot date.

The 2026-27 package is narrower than the district’s 2025-26 compensation plan, which the board approved on July 14, 2025. That earlier plan set the starting teacher salary at $60,000, gave current teachers raises ranging from 5% to 14%, added a $1,000 loyalty payment for all annualized staff, and included a 4% increase from the midpoint for non-teaching staff. By comparison, the new raise is smaller, but it still pushes entry pay and adds benefits at a time when schools are competing for experienced educators and support workers.

Royse City ISD’s growth helps explain the urgency. Texas Education Agency school report-card data show the district served 10,001 students in 2024-25 and operated 11 schools. In a district that size, staffing decisions reach deep into classrooms, cafeterias, offices and buses, and the cost of turnover can ripple through daily operations as quickly as enrollment growth does.

The board framed the raise as part of a broader effort to prioritize compensation for staff. With a new salary floor, pay-scale adjustments and added health coverage, the district is betting that a stronger package will help it stay competitive while Royse City continues to expand. Whether the 3% increase is enough will be measured in how many teachers and support staff choose to stay for another school year.