Teacher Retention Allotment

The Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) is a state-funded program expanded under House Bill 2 (HB 2) during the 89th Texas Legislature. Its purpose is to provide districts with additional funding to support the recruitment, retention, and recognition of effective classroom teachers. During the 2025-2026 school year, Irving ISD distributed TRA funds as an HB 2 Alternate Salary amount of $2,500 for eligible teachers with 3-4 creditable years of service and $5,000 for eligible teachers with 5 or more creditable years of service.

Irving ISD’s legal authority to manage and distribute TRA funds comes from Texas Education Code (TEC) §48.158.

Per the Texas Education Agency (TEA) guidance, Irving ISD has filed its official Letter of Intent (LOI) to become an Enhanced Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) district. Filing this LOI satisfies the requirements under TEC §48.158, legally granting the District the full authority to spend the Teacher Retention Allotment on increases to classroom teacher salaries based directly on performance.

TRA funds will not be allocated as a flat allotment based on tenure. Instead, they will be distributed based on individual T-TESS performance, aligned with the Irving ISD salary schedule and compensation plan approved during the June 2026 school board meeting.

By structuring the allotments around performance metrics, Irving ISD ensures that funding rewards the excellence and growth demonstrated in our classrooms.

The Board-approved TRA distribution structure supports Irving ISD's strategic compensation vision of attracting, retaining and rewarding highly effective educators.

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, Irving ISD engaged teachers, campus leaders, district leadership and stakeholder groups in strategic compensation planning focused on recognizing educator effectiveness, strengthening student outcomes and supporting the recruitment and retention of outstanding educators.

For the 2026-2027 school year, the Board approved a performance-based TRA distribution model using the teacher's 2025-2026 T-TESS Summative evaluation score. Under this model, approximately two-thirds of eligible employees are projected to receive a higher TRA allotment than they would have received under the previous distribution structure.

TRA funding is provided by the State of Texas and is subject to future legislative action. Any future TRA distribution structure is also subject to Board approval and the District's adopted compensation plan.

This updated system significantly expands the reach of incentive funding. Under the new compensation plan approved by the board, approximately two-thirds of Irving ISD eligible employees will receive a higher TRA allotment than they would have under previous structures.

No. The TRA allotment (typically $5,000 or $2,500 under the original, flat tenure-based pay model) is separate and distinct from your base pay. Your base salary will NOT decrease. Your base salary will actually increase on a year-to-year basis based on your creditable years of service increasing. Your TRA allotment, which shows as your “HB 2 Alternate Salary” on your paycheck, may increase OR decrease depending on your performance.

For the 2026-2027 school year, eligible classroom teachers receive TRA funds as an alternate salary based on their 2025-2026 T-TESS Summative evaluation score. Consistent with Irving ISD's participation in the Enhanced TIA framework, performance determinations are based on T-TESS Summative evaluation results.

The performance-based allotment funding and local compensation adjustments aligned to Irving ISD's Enhanced TIA system will take effect beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

No. The Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) funds distributed through the Board-approved 2026-2027 TRA model are allocated to eligible classroom teachers through the HB 2 Alternate Salary structure. TRA funds are not being used to provide raises to administrators. Eligible classroom teachers receive TRA funds through the Board-approved performance-based distribution model outlined in the 2026-2027 salary schedule.

No. Irving ISD is not withholding TRA funds from eligible classroom teachers. TRA funds are distributed through the Board-approved performance-based compensation structure outlined in the District's salary schedule.

Performance results for eligible employees are reviewed across the district and grouped into performance tiers to promote:

• Consistent expectations across campuses;
• Fair and comparable outcomes for teachers serving in similar campus types; and
• Clear distinctions between levels of effectiveness.

Scores were determined by assigning a numerical value to each T-TESS summative dimension and calculating an average across each domain. 

Scores were then arranged in descending order by campus type. Performance thresholds were then established based on the distribution of scores within each grouping.

The cutoff for the top 50% was determined at the midpoint of the distribution. If multiple employees shared the same score at the cutoff value, all individuals with that same score were included in the top performance group, even if the resulting percentage exceeded 50% of all scores within the applicable grouping.