Houston Independent School District (HISD) bigwigs are getting fatter paychecks, with top earners' salaries ballooning under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. Miles himself tops the chart with a whopping $380,000 salary, towering over his predecessor's paycheck by a cool $20,000, a Houston Chronicle analysis reveals.

It doesn't stop there—the number of HISD employees earning north of $200,000 has to more than tripled, jumping from just a dozen last year to 37 high-rollers, according to the Texas Education Agency staffing data. The hefty paychecks extend beyond Miles to a 12-person cabinet, along with a selection of central office administrators and senior schools directors. Despite this, HISD spokespeople suggest a possible upcoming shift in salaries as the district transitions from one academic year to the next.

Meanwhile, on the flip side of the financial coin, there's a glimmer of good news for HISD educators. KTRK reports that the district plans to up the ante for teacher and hourly employee wages as part of its 2024-2025 compensation plan. The average teacher currently makes $64,000, but that number is set to rise.

HISD Chief Human Resources Officer Jessica Neyman announced non-NES school teachers will soon see a $2,500 increase at each step. Veteran NES high school teachers and special education teachers can expect to make as much as $88,816 and $92,000 respectively. Additionally, hourly workers are slated to earn no less than $15 per hour starting next school year.

"We are fortunate to have outstanding teachers at Houston ISD," Neyman stated. "We highly value our teaching staff and we really emphasize that value by making sure they earn the most competitive salaries across the nation." The new compensation plan, pending board approval, is set for a July 1 start.