Dallas ISD is home. But for many of our teachers and paraprofessionals, it's the home we can't afford to live in. Our schools work better when teachers live in the communities they serve.

During the pandemic, the median housing price in Dallas County climbed 15.3%, while the number of homes sold increased by over 20%. Meanwhile the housing market in Dallas County faces a shortage of supply with an ever increasing demand.

Teachers and paraprofessionals are getting pushed further and further out of the Dallas ISD community as housing costs continue to climb.

In combination with stagnated wages and frozen effectiveness levels under TEI, teachers and paraprofessionals are being forced to make tough economic decisions for themselves and their families.

It costs a Dallas ISD employee between $1,037.21 to $2,470.25 to provide medical, vision, and dental insurance for their family.

With high deductibles and limited coverage on many of the available plans, this coverage can be too expensive to use except in cases of emergencies. For some, this will mean being forced to opt out of cost prohibitive employer provided health insurance for themselves and their families.

In Dallas ISD, salaries have been frozen since the beginning of the pandemic. And according to TEI, most teachers are stuck at effectiveness levels of "Proficient I" ($64,000) or below, and almost all would make thousands of dollars more in surrounding districts if this is not corrected.

Meanwhile, Uplift and IDEA charter networks have announced highly competitive salaries based on years of experience for the upcoming school year.

Alliance/AFT held dozens of meetings with Teachers and Paraprofessionals to determine what they needed to make economic ends meet during a time of high economic inflation and rising costs of living.

Support a 7% Raise for Teachers in Dallas ISD.

Support a 5% Raise for paraprofessionals with a $1000 bonus in January 2022.

Write a letter to Dallas ISD trustees.