Fort Worth ISD launching automatic 5% pay raises for classroom teachers for 2026-27 school year
Fort Worth ISD announced Wednesday that it is launching automatic pay raises for classroom teachers, something the district said reinforces one of its key pillars.
In a news release shared with CBS News Texas, the district said teachers who work directly in a classroom with children as the teacher of record will get an automatic 5% salary increase for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. The district also said the action behind the raises is "being taken without delay and without waiting for lengthy negotiations".
The raise will apply for teachers who have a roster of students in non-ELEVATE schools, the district notes, and that it's in addition to opportunities available at Fort Worth ISD's ELEVATE campuses. The announcement from the district said high-performing teachers at ELEVATE campuses can earn between $88,000 and $100,000 or more through a strategic staffing and compensation model for those schools.
The focus on compensation, the district said, is part of its vision for its third pillar of having a well-paid workforce.
Leaders discuss the campaign
"This is a statement of values," said Superintendent Peter Licata in a statement. "If we are serious about becoming the best district in Texas, then we must be serious about investing in the people who make student success possible every single day. Our classroom teachers deserve to be recognized, supported, and paid in a way that reflects the importance of their work."
"Fort Worth ISD's leadership is moving swiftly to support our teachers, who are already doing incredible work, and to recruit more of the best and brightest educators in the U.S. to our city," said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker in a statement shared by the district. "I'm thrilled to see their urgency and ingenuity at work. Every one of our children,regardless of their zip code, deserves top teachers in their classrooms, and I'm looking forward to seeing the talent Fort Worth recruits as a result of this campaign."
Laurie George, who currently serves on the FWISD board and is a former teacher from within the district, said the raises come at a critical time for the district.
"As a former FWISD teacher, I'm excited to get our recruitment campaign underway and implement an immediate 5% raise for our classroom teachers," she said. "If we want to move swiftly to improve student outcomes and attract and retain strong educators, these are exactly the tools we have to take out of the toolbox right away."
An open call for teachers
As part of supporting the initiative, Fort Worth ISD said it would host an Open Teacher Job Fair on Saturday, May 2, aimed at drawing in more educators. The fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day at the FWISD Teaching and Learning Center at 1050 Bridgewood Drive in Fort Worth.
Teachers who are interested in applying can also fill out a quick-response online form to share their experience in the classroom. The district promised that candidates who "demonstrate a proven track record of helping students grow" would be placed at the front of the line to be considered.
"We want the best teachers in America looking at Fort Worth ISD," Superintendent Licata said. "This district is moving forward with urgency. We are building a system that values excellence, rewards results, and puts children first. If you are a teacher who gets results for kids, we want to hear from you."
State takeover ongoing
The pay raise and recruitment campaign happens as FWISD remains under a state takeover from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). One campus, which is now closed, was given an "F" rating for five consecutive years.
That triggered a state law that allows the TEA to intervene.
Last month, the TEA appointed a new Board of Managers to temporarily replace the elected school board. They also appointed Licata as the new superintendent.
The announcement also comes a week after the current district leadership team discussed potentially letting some staff members go. While the board decided not to take action on terminating some contracted employees, they did vote to reduce jobs for the ELEVATE campuses.