Approved 2017–2018 budget includes performance-based salary increase for teachers

Dallas ISD trustees on Thursday approved a 2017–2018 balanced district budget that includes a performance-based increase to base salary for teachers under the Teacher Excellence Initiative.

In previous years under the Teacher Excellence Initiative—Dallas ISD’s teacher evaluation system that seeks to define, support and reward teacher excellence—teachers had to increase effectiveness levels to receive salary increases.

Dallas ISD officials said they were pleased to announce this performance-based increase that will reward the district’s strong teachers and recognize their contributions to students’ positive outcomes.

On a recent survey administered in Spring 2017, an overwhelming majority of surveyed teachers said they believed strong teachers who stay at the same effectiveness level should receive salary increases. In that same survey, 85 percent of surveyed teachers said that teacher salaries should be based on performance.

Below are the performance based increases to base salary, which will go into effect in 2017-2018 for teachers with continued performance at one of the following effectiveness levels.  For example, a returning Proficient I teacher in 2017-2018 will see an increase of $750 to their 2017-2018 base salary.

Progressing II: $500
Proficient I: $750
Proficient II: $1,000
Proficient III: $1,000
Exemplary I: $1,250
Exemplary II: $1,250 (to be received in a lump-sum stipend).

Teachers may still advance an effectiveness level. The salary schedule by effectiveness level is:

Unsatisfactory: $47,000
Progressing I: $51,000
Progressing II: $53,000
Proficient I: $56,000
Proficient II: $60,000
Proficient III: $65,000
Exemplary I: $74,000
Exemplary II: $82,000
Master : $90,000

The district’s balanced budget also includes more than $39 million for other strategic initiative investments such as collegiate academies, Accelerating Campus Excellence schools, Early Learning, and Public School Choice.