Investing in People & Experiences
From competitive pay increases to continued support in and outside the classroom, our proposed budget for 2025-2026 reflects what we value most - our employees, our students and their experiences. Watch as Superintendent Dr. Allison Clark walks through the highlights.
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Competitive pay.
Learn how the proposed 2025-2026 budget continues our commitment to employee pay and benefits.
Following last year's historic investment in teacher and staff pay, Arlington Community Schools will continue to prioritize competitive pay.
The 2024-2025 school year saw starting salary for teachers with a bachelor’s degree rise to $52,000, well ahead of the state’s $50,000 minimum by 2026, and we recalibrated the entire salary schedule to ensure every step reflects a consistent two percent increase for years to come. On average, these changes resulted in a 10% raise for teachers and most employees, which also benefitted newest employees to the district.
NOW LET'S TALK 2025-2026 PAY
We're proposing a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for all employees, in line with the national average, plus a step increase for those with available steps. Although employees currently at the top of their ladder will not receive a step, they will receive an additional personal day, a small but meaningful recognition of your service, commitment and impact on ACS. For those eligible for both a COLA and step increase, that's a combined 4.5% pay raise next year. 👏
We’re also proud to continue the Christmas bonuses, along with the return of our rebranded TLC Personal Day, formerly known as the Mental Health Day. While the name has changed, the purpose remains the same: to provide space for rest, reflection and personal well-being. Because sometimes, we all need a moment to pause and reset.
Recognizing essential support
ACS introduces a new salary schedule for SPED and educational assistants with four-year bachelor degrees
This year, ACS is proud to introduce a new salary schedule designed specifically for two groups who play an essential role in our schools: special education assistants and teaching assistants who hold four-year bachelor degrees. While their day-to-day responsibilities may differ, their shared impact is undeniable. Teaching assistants provide instructional support across many areas of the school, with a strong emphasis on literacy and early intervention. Special Education assistants, meanwhile, manage a wide range of responsibilities tailored to the specific needs and goals of the students they serve, such as supporting IEP implementation, assisting with behavioral strategies and facilitating inclusion throughout the school day.
In both roles, these individuals offer more than academic support. They are a steady presence, a trusted guide, and often the emotional anchor within the classroom environment. This new pay structure honors that impact. It reflects each role’s unique contributions and recognizes the value of those who have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or higher.
Benefits that stay strong - without costing more.
In this latest budget proposal, we're proud to continue offering high-quality benefits without any premium increases. Employees will see no changes in cost for medical, dental or vision coverage in the upcoming year, putting more money back into your family's budget. Combined with continued investments in pay, these efforts help keep ACS among the top five districts in Tennessee for teacher salaries, a reflection of our commitment to both professional and personal well-being.
Other incredible benefits offered through Arlington Community Schools...
- No deductibles on the copay plan
- Open access provider network - no need to choose from a restricted list of doctors
- Free healthcare clinics and pharmacy for employees
- Free home delivery of prescription medications
- Exceptional neonatal care with a single $500 deductible for delivery
- Free MRIs through Diagnostic Imaging
- Wellness benefits include annual exams, mammograms, colonoscopies with $0 copay
- Free comprehensive annual physicals through LifeSigns
Academic Investments
The following items aren't all encompassing and instead represent some of the new, specific highlights in the 25-26 budget.
Orton-Gillingham Professional Development Training (K-5, Summer Training 2025)
Orton-Gillingham is widely used to teach students with dyslexia. It's designed to aid students in mastering language skills through structured, direct, multi-sensory and individualized instruction. The Orton-Gillingham approach to reading is not a program or system with structured, pre-planned lessons but rather a comprehensive teaching approach to develop effective interventions for students with dyslexia.
Increased Funding for Advanced Placement Teacher Training
ACS will be sending most of its Advanced Placement (AP) teachers to the AP Annual Summer Conference, where they'll participate in workshops, content-driven sessions and networking.
Additional Assistant Principal at Arlington & Donelson Elementary Schools
ACS will invest in an additional assistant principal, who will split their time between both AES and DES and serve as a direct liaison with the Academics Department, assisting with literacy and instructional coaching, dyslexia training and compliance, RTI and more. Congratulations to Susan Howard, who will be stepping into this role next school year! Read more about the position here.
More Highlights from Academics & Instruction
- Additional Functional Skills teacher at AES
- Additional Kindergarten SPED Assistant at DES
- Additional Communication Media Specialist to provide expanded and school requested coverage of events, academics, athletics, performing and Fine Arts, etc.
- District Office to absorb 504 scheduling and initial paperwork for meetings to assist all four schools
- K-12 Science Textbook Adoption
- Fulfill Arlington Middle and Arlington Highs' request for Digital Hall Pass, a digital way to track, measure and report hall pass usage
- Continuation of district-funded $500,000 Legacy Grant Program
Expanding Access in the Fine Arts
The 2025-2026 proposed budget includes more than a quarter million dollars in dedicated fine arts funding across all four campuses - making it the district’s largest arts investment to date, outside of last year’s $8.5 million fine arts expansion at Arlington High. This funding supports every level of the arts experience, from our youngest learners to our graduating seniors. Investments will go toward instrument repair and replacement, event and competition fees, supplies for music, theatre, orchestra and media and visual arts. Here's some of the investments we're making...
- $90,000 to support Arlington High School’s award-winning band and orchestra programs, including instrument repair, new equipment, music and event fees
- $20,000 for vocal music programming at AHS, including supplies and travel
- $10,500 to support AHS Theatre needs
- $10,000 in support for AHS visual art supplies
- $60,000+ to support AMS Band, Choir & Orchestra programs
- $5,000 for AMS visual arts supplies
- More than $17,000 across AES and DES, including repairs, equipment and supplies for music and visual arts
- Continued $75,000 for AHS TV & Film program, including equipment, software, production fees and recurring costs
We believe the arts are essential. They build creativity, confidence and self-expression, and they contribute to academic growth across every subject area.
Campus & Safety Improvements
Capital Improvement Projects play a critical role in maintaining the high standards our community expects. From facility upgrades and safety enhancements to new construction and long-term planning, these investments ensure our schools remain modern, efficient and competitive. They support enrollment growth, evolving instructional needs and the kind of student experiences that set ACS apart.
- AHS Welding Lab Remodel
- Upgraded locker rooms for girls and boys basketball, volleyball and girls wrestling
- Beginning stages to upgrade the AHS basketball/student parking lot entrance, concession stand relocation, gym floor updates (multi-year project)
- Installation of projection system for AHS basketball gym
- HVAC Upgrades
- Replacing and updating security cameras and servers
- Learn more about the new Tiger Football Fieldhouse project, along with our other recent investments into softball, wrestling and more...
Did You Know?
About 41% of the Arlington Community Schools' budget comes from TISA (i.e. the state of Tennessee), while 32% comes from Shelby County taxes, about 2% from the Town of Arlington, with the remainder from other various sources.
Our ACS Board of Education knows that our employees drive our success. That’s why, for more than a decade, they’ve championed higher salaries and stronger benefits for our employees. In fact, employee pay and benefits makes up more than 65% of our total expenditures, with the vast majority, 88%, going directly to positions at the school level. Outside of salaries, the next largest expense is all about instructional and student support, from classroom materials, textbooks, technology, Fine Arts programming and initiatives like the Legacy Grant.
Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) are some of the most significant expenses a school district takes on...think HVAC upgrades, major repairs, painting, infrastructure improvements, or even new construction. These projects come with big price tags, but they’re non-recurring by nature. That means we never rely on our fund balance to sustain them year after year...doing so wouldn’t meet responsible financial standards. Instead, we plan and forecast carefully to determine what’s feasible each year. In the upcoming budget cycle, CIP projects account for approximately 16% of our spending, but that number can vary significantly depending on the district’s needs and long-term priorities.