Frequently Asked Questions

The District partnered with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) to conduct a comprehensive compensation review. The District's compensation plan had not undergone a full review since the 2021-2022 school year.

Because compensation levels and workforce demands change over time, periodic reviews are necessary to remain competitive in attracting and retaining employees. As part of the study, Duncanville ISD's compensation structures were compared to similarly sized school districts and districts within our geographic region that compete for the same talent pool.

Based on market data and position evaluations, the District adopted updated pay structures and compensation recommendations for the 2026-2027 school year. The new salaries will be in effect beginning July 1. Employees should see the increase in their compensation with their first check for the 2026-2027 school year.

Please note: The District will not be conducting individual compensation reviews or salary negotiations. Individual salary review requests will not be conducted unless an error is believed to have occurred.

The Board of Trustees approved the 2026-2027 Compensation Plan, which includes a 1% General Pay Increase (GPI) for all employees.

In addition to the 1% GPI, some employees received additional salary adjustments to align their compensation with the updated pay structures approved as part of the compensation review.

The 1% increase was calculated using the new midpoint of each pay grade rather than the previous year's compensation plan.

The midpoint serves as the foundation of each pay grade and allows the District to apply increases consistently across employees within the same pay structure.

Employees are paid at different points within a pay range based on factors such as experience and prior salary placement. Using the midpoint helps maintain internal equity, reduce pay compression, and ensure employees within the same pay grade receive the same increase.

As part of the compensation review, all pay structures were updated using current market data. In some cases, pay structures were expanded or reorganized.

For example, the Instructional Support pay structure increased from four pay grade categories to seven pay grade categories. As a result, employees may not have the same pay grade number they had previously.

A change in pay grade number does not necessarily indicate a promotion, demotion, or reduction in pay. Because the compensation structures were redesigned, previous pay grades should not be directly compared to the new pay grades. All employees received the Board-approved compensation increases regardless of pay grade assignment.

As part of the compensation study, positions were reviewed based on job responsibilities, market data, and internal pay relationships.

As a result, some positions were reassigned to different pay grades or pay structures to better align with market value, job duties, and internal equity. These changes were based on the position itself and not on individual employee performance.

The District reviewed job descriptions and job duties to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Based on that review, some positions were reclassified as exempt or nonexempt. These changes were made to ensure compliance with federal wage and hour laws and are not related to employee performance.

Nonexempt employees are required to accurately record all hours worked and may be eligible for compensation in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and District policy for approved overtime or compensatory time.

Employees whose positions were reclassified received additional information regarding timekeeping and overtime procedures.

The positions below will require a Bilingual Teaching Certificate in order to qualify for the $5000 stipend.

• Bilingual Diagnostician

• Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist

• Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist Assistant

As part of the 2026-2027 Compensation Plan, bilingual aides were moved to a higher pay grade based on the compensation study and market review.

The bilingual aide stipend has been discontinued, and the value of the stipend has been incorporated into the salary structure for the position. As a result, compensation is now reflected in the employee's base salary rather than as a separate stipend.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, House Bill 2 requires districts to maintain separate compensation structures for certified and uncertified teachers.

As a result, Duncanville ISD places certified teachers on the certified teacher salary schedule, while uncertified teachers are compensated according to the District's approved compensation plan.

Aspiring Educators enrolled in a certification program earn $58,500 annually, and District of Innovation (DOI) teachers with industry experience earn $2,000 less than certified teachers each year.

The District encourages all teachers to obtain full certification, which supports professional growth and eligibility for the certified teacher salary schedule.

As part of the 2026-2027 Compensation Plan, these positions were assigned to updated pay grades that provide increased compensation.

The stipend previously associated with these positions has been incorporated into the salary structure and is now reflected in the employee's base salary rather than as a separate stipend.

Employees with questions regarding the 2026-2027 Compensation Plan may contact the Human Resources Department at hrinbox@duncanvilleisd.org.

Each employee's salary, pay grade assignment, and compensation placement has already been reviewed and finalized as part of the District's comprehensive compensation study conducted in consultation with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

Compensation adjustments have been implemented in accordance with the Board-approved 2026-2027 Compensation Plan.