Aledo ISD Trustees approve significant pay increase for staff, look toward balanced budget for 25-26

July 7, 2025

During a special called board meeting on Monday, the Aledo ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2025-2026 compensation plan, which will give teachers pay increases anywhere from 5.5% to 12.64% ($3,325 to $9,000) and all non-teaching staff with a 5% pay increase from the midpoint plus an Aledo ISD Experience Stipend.

“We are excited to be able to invest in our staff in this way, they’ve earned it,” Aledo ISD Board of Trustees President Forrest Collins said. “We always wish we could do more, but we feel like this year’s compensation plan is a significant investment in our staff and a way to thank them for the amazing work they do to support our children.”

After two years of budget cuts totaling approximately $5.6 million and no staff raises (only one-time payments), Aledo ISD was able to go above and beyond the House Bill 2 funding provided by the state legislature for its Bearcat employees, emphasizing retention and experience.

“These two years of budget cuts have been difficult but we know our community expects us to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars,” Collins said. “This prudency has led to likely passing a balanced budget in August and the district being in a position now to do more than the state required raises for ALL of our staff. 

“We greatly appreciate the work of Superintendent Dr. Susan Bohn and our CFO Earl Husfeld have done to develop a plan to ensure we continue to attract and retain our amazing staff, as well as potentially providing a budget that allows us to increase salaries without having to cut positions or compromise how we serve our students to make it happen,” Collins said.

2025-2026 Aledo ISD compensation highlights include:

• Full-time Teachers:
  • 1-4 years of completed experience = $3,325 to $3,800 pay increase (5.50-6.25%)
  • 5-plus years of completed experience = $6,000 to $9,000 pay increase (9.77-12.64%)
  • This includes the House Bill 2 raise PLUS a Teaching Experience Stipend based on total years of teaching experience.
• All other staff, including but not limited to paraprofessionals, transportation, maintenance, child nutrition and police staff:
  • Pay increase of 5% of pay grade midpoint
  • PLUS Aledo ISD Experience Stipend based on total years of service to Aledo ISD.

Starting teacher salaries will increase from $60,200 to $63,000, the district is implementing free Pre-K for full-time teachers, and AISD will provide an increase of $25 per month toward the district’s medical insurance premium contribution, bringing the total annual health insurance contribution to $3,600. Aledo ISD also previously announced additional targeted compensation and stipends, paid training and work/flex days, and substitute coverage each grading period for certain special education staff.

“We know that the quality of our staff is second to none and that our employees are the reason our students have exceptional experiences daily,” Superintendent Dr. Susan Bohn said. “I am thrilled that we are able to invest in them in a way that will hopefully positively impact their lives and also attract them to and keep them in Aledo working with our kids. 

“We are grateful to our employees for always being #AllinAledo even when things are difficult with funding levels and to our community for advocating to our legislators for additional funding to help make this possible,” Bohn said.