Arlington Independent School District

Arlington ISD is a school district with more than 61,000 students and 8,400 employees that is committed to empower and engage all students to be contributing, responsible citizens striving for their maximum potential through relevant, innovative and rigorous learning experiences. We believe that our success depends on a commitment by all to a clear and focused vision, effective teaching and leadership, a positive culture that promote continuous improvement by all and an engaged community. Those beliefs will help our students excel and achieve our goal of having 100 percent of our students exceptionally prepared for college, career and citizenship.

Teachers in the district interested in future campus leadership positions can participate in the Emerging Leaders Program. The program is designed to give teacher-leaders and administrators an opportunity to learn new concepts and leadership skills and then put them into action in the real world of their schools. The success of the program helped it garner $350,000 in grant money in 2016. Teachers are also eligible to apply for a Transformation Through Innovation grant in an effort to bring more technology into the classrooms in everything from new digital music equipment to 3-D printers. In the 2016-17 school year, 64 grants totaling more than $900,000 were awarded. The district also puts a focus on spotlighting teachers in the community. Every week at least one teacher is honored on social media for Teacher Tuesday, which is posted on Twitter and Facebook to nearly 120,000 followers. Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos also surprises three teachers each month and presents them with a Teacher of the Month award.

First-year teachers have a starting salary of $52,000 per year. The midpoint salary is $62,750 and the range maximum is $73,000.  Bilingual teachers receive an additional annual stipend.

The district is committed to growing its own teachers with a Ready, Set, Teach program in place at all six traditional high school campuses and a Teacher Academy slated to open in the fall of 2017 in conjunction with the University of Texas at Arlington. The Teacher Academy will allow AISD juniors and seniors to take courses at UTA, alongside college students, and earn college credits while still in high school. Students will sign a degree plan with UTA and be able to complete their college degree within three years of graduating from an AISD school. Once they complete the program and earn a teaching certificate, students will be preferred candidates for teaching positions within the AISD. If you’re an AISD student, talk to your campus’s guidance counselor.