DeSoto ISD increases teacher pay, monthly insurance contributions

DESOTO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The DeSoto Independent School District has approved a plan to more competitively compensate its teachers.

During a special school board meeting Wednesday, board members approved offering every teacher in DeSoto ISD A $6,500 pay increase and a starting teacher salary of $58,500.

DeSoto ISD said that this is the highest starting teacher salary in DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Duncanville and Lancaster, Texas.

"Our goal as a school system is to ensure that we are 100 percent staffed for the upcoming academic year," DeSoto ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Usamah Rodgers said in a release. "We know that strong teachers are vital to the district's ability to offer high quality, responsive instruction that will advance student achievement in DeSoto ISD, and that's why we chose to invest in creating a competitive compensation package for our teachers."

In addition to increasing teacher salaries, DeSoto ISD has also increased its monthly insurance contributions and retains other incentives like math, English language arts and reading (ELAR), science, bilingual and foreign languages.

"We are excited and ready to focus on the future of DeSoto ISD," Board of Trustees president DeAndrea Fleming said in a release. "We know that there are amazing educators in our local and broader community and want to invite area educators to come and make a difference with us so that children can soar."