Corpus Christi ISD considers key budget decisions for the 2025-26 school year, including long-awaited teacher raises. The Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on June 9 at 3:30 PM in the CCISD administration building boardroom, inviting the community to share input on the proposed budget and tax rates.
State Mandates Trigger Pay Raises — But a Budget Gap Looms
While new state legislation now mandates pay increases for educators, CCISD faces a significant hurdle: a $21.78 million deficit in its general fund budget. This figure reflects a continued trend, as the previous school year’s budget also ran a shortfall exceeding $20 million. Despite increased funding from the Texas Legislature, district expenses continue to outpace revenue from state, federal, and local tax sources.
However, the food and debt service funds remain balanced in the 2025-26 proposed budget, providing some financial stability amidst the broader shortfall.
Teacher Raises Breakdown: Who Gets What?
To comply with the new state law, CCISD will implement the following salary increases:
- $2,500 raises for teachers, registered nurses, and librarians with 1 to 4 years of experience
- $5,000 raises for those with five or more years of experience
Additional staff will see raises based on a percentage of their salary range’s midpoint:
- 1% for staff with 1 to 5 years of experience
- 2% for those with 6 to 12 years
- 3% for staff with 13+ years
The state also allocated $45 per student to fund raises for counselors, support staff, and new teachers who don’t meet the criteria above.
Incentive Program Rewards High Performers
Beyond mandated raises, the state is expanding the Teacher Incentive Allotment—a program rewarding top-performing teachers. In the 2024-25 school year, 1,575 CCISD teachers applied for designation. Only 501, or roughly 30%, received it.
Designated teachers earned performance-based payouts ranging from $5,709 to $21,030, depending on their effectiveness and impact in the classroom.
Tax Rate Holds Steady, Approval Pending
Although the property tax rate remains unchanged at $0.9583 per $100 of assessed value, Corpus Christi ISD considers final approval of the rate at its upcoming meeting on August 25. According to Karen Griffith, Deputy Superintendent of Business and Support Services, the rate includes both operations and maintenance (O&M) and interest and sinking fund (I&S) components.
Therefore, local taxpayers won’t see a 2025 tax hike, even though the district faces financial constraints.
What Comes Next?
The CCISD Board plans to approve the budget on June 9 and decide on the tax rate later in the summer. Educators and residents await decisions as the district balances teacher pay with funding challenges and legal mandates.