The Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved adopting a $2.2 billion budget for the 2022-2023 school year that includes an average raise of 11% for teachers. That will bump the starting salary to $61,500.

“We ask so much of our teachers and it is past due time that the district upheld its end of the bargain,” said HISD Superintendent Millard House II. “I thank the Board of Trustees for approving this budget that shows our commitment to teachers and students.”

By leveraging Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, the district will compress the first two years of the three-year compensation plan. That means there will no impact to either the General Fund or the district’s structural deficit as compared to the original proposal shared a few months ago.

“This budget is a roadmap that meets the moment for all HISD students and staff,” said House. “It will ensure HISD is once again one of the most competitive and desirable school districts in the region. We will be able to recruit and retain world-class talent necessary to provide a core educational experience for our students.”

The master pay table will also be updated for all staff, providing a raise for all district personnel.

Under the revised compensation plan, HISD will also maintain its status as one of the regional leaders among school districts for minimum wage. Most district employees will earn at least $15/hour at the start of the coming school year.

The budget will fund the initiatives laid out in House’s five-year strategic plan. The blueprint calls for all schools to employ librarians or media specialists, nurse or nurse assistants, and counselors.

The new budget takes effect July 1, 2022. The board also approved a resolution to observe the Juneteenth holiday on Monday, June 20, 2022. This will be the first year HISD will observe Juneteenth since it became a federal holiday in 2021. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when a Union general arrived in Galveston and read the order effectively ending slavery in the United States.