Edinburg CISD Budget Debate Centers on Teacher, Librarian Pay
Arnoldo Mata
EDINBURG, TX – Edinburg CISD trustees approved a $306 million balanced budget for 2025-26 on Tuesday, but not before a spirited discussion over how much the district can afford to raise salaries for teachers, librarians, and other employees.
Edinburg CISD trustees approved the district’s 2025-26 budget and tax rate, adopting a spending plan that lowers the overall property tax rate by just over one cent.
The adopted rate will fall from $0.8727 to $0.8617 per $100 valuation. District officials said the decrease comes despite rising property values, driven by an increase in the homestead exemption under Senate Bill 4. Officials estimate the district will collect about $79 million in tax revenue, based on a 96 percent collection rate.
Board members acknowledged that while the rate is going down, state law requires public notice information language to describe it as a tax “increase” because higher property appraisals will generate more local revenue.
Teacher Compensation Tied to State Mandates
The district’s proposal raises starting teacher pay to $58,000 and incorporates House Bill 2 requirements for experience-based stipends — $1,200 for one to two years, $2,500 for three to four years, and $5,000 for five or more years. Administrators said those increases are funded directly by the state.
Several trustees, however, pushed for more aggressive raises, arguing that veteran educators deserve higher recognition. Board member Xavier Salinas suggested scaling stipends up to $7,000 for teachers with 21 to 35 years of experience, using fund balance reserves if necessary. “Teachers, librarians, nurses — everybody deserves something better,” Salinas said, adding that pay could be bolstered by trimming administrative positions.
Superintendent Mario Salinas cautioned that relying on the fund balance to cover recurring raises is “dangerous” and could push the district into deficit spending within a few years. He suggested tying additional compensation to improved attendance, noting that each percentage point of ADA (average daily attendance) translates into millions of dollars in state funding.
Librarian Concerns Surface
Much of the debate centered on librarians, who were recently moved out of the teacher pay scale and placed on a separate schedule alongside nurses. Several trustees said they had received complaints from librarians worried about losing parity with classroom teachers.
Trustee Domina Vela read from a letter urging the board to reconsider. “They are in charge of assigned classes, implement the Accelerated Reader program, assist with benchmarks and testing, conduct yearly inventory, and many other duties,” Vela said. “They are teachers in every way but are required to hold a master’s degree to even be hired”.
Trustee Letty Garcia added that some librarians had asked to return to classroom positions in order to qualify for higher stipends, and she urged administrators to prioritize them for openings. Others, including Board President David Torres, noted that librarians had long been grouped with teachers and counselors before being shifted into a separate category by state funding rules.
Board member Salinas proposed restoring librarians to the teacher pay scale outright, putting them on equal footing with classroom educators. Several trustees agreed, with Vela stressing that librarians often handle entire classes of students and should not be penalized for the technicalities of state law.
The superintendent acknowledged the concerns but noted that the state’s $5,000 stipends were specifically restricted to classroom teachers. District administrators said they created a separate schedule for librarians and nurses to avoid skewing the teacher allotment, but the board has authority to make local adjustments.
Financial Pressures Persist
Administrators noted that the district’s fund balance includes about $55 million in unassigned reserves, a figure boosted by a one-time $22 million legal settlement. Without that settlement, the district would have ended the year with an $8 million deficit.
Board members also heard warnings about potential federal grant cuts, rising health insurance costs, and changes to state reimbursement formulas that could cost Edinburg CISD $1.5 million annually.
Despite the challenges, trustees emphasized maintaining Edinburg’s reputation for competitive pay. “Nobody pays better than Edinburg CISD when it comes to campus staff,” Vela said. “This is the year to be a little flexible and do the right thing for our employees”.
The board ultimately approved the budget but left open the possibility of revisiting compensation later in the school year if enrollment and attendance numbers improve.