The Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees held a public hearing on the 2025-26 budget at its meeting Tuesday, June 24, and approved the General, Student Nutrition and Debt Service Fund budgets.

The approved budget includes a 3% mid-point raise and increases the district’s contribution toward employee health coverage from $350 to $375 per month to help offset the increase for TRS Active Care participants.

The mid-point raise applies to all non-teaching staff because the Texas legislature approved House Bill 2 this session with a Retention Allotment that provides teacher raises based upon tenure. Teachers with three or four-years’ experience will receive a $2,500 salary increase, and teachers with five or more years’ experience will receive a $5,000 increase.

“We are committed to taking care of our teachers and staff because their hard work and dedication create the best learning environment for our students,” said Board President Dr. Benita Reed. “We want all MISD employees to know they are valued, and an increase in pay is the primary way to demonstrate our appreciation.”

Mansfield ISD’s starting teacher salary is $64,700.

This budget meets the Board’s goal of allowing the district’s fund balance to maintain the equivalent of three months of expenditures, which is similar to a “Rainy Day Fund.” The Maintenance and Operations and Interest and Sinking fund tax rates will be adopted in August after the July certified property values are received.

 

FAQs About the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA)

 

What is the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA)?

The Texas Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA), established by House Bill 2, provides school districts with funding designated to increase teacher salaries based on experience. Districts with more than 5,000 students receive $2,500 for teachers with 3-4 years of experience and $5,000 for those with 5 or more years. HB 2 does not provide additional funding for teachers with less than three years of experience.

How is “teacher” defined in regard to the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) or “teacher raise” given by the state?

The TRA statute (Texas Education Code (TEC), Sec. 48.158) defines a classroom teacher for TRA allotment purposes as a person who is employed by a school system and meets the following criteria:

• teaches in an academic instructional setting or a career and technology instructional setting an average of least four hours per day and
• is employed in a role that would typically require possession of a State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) teaching certification or otherwise performs duties that could require an SBEC teaching certification.

Further, these individuals are coded as Staff Classification 087 (classroom teacher) in the district’s PEIMS reporting.

Who is eligible for the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA)?

Employees who meet the criteria as outlined above. Below are some examples of these employee groups:

• Elementary classroom teachers
• Dyslexia Specialist
• Intermediate classroom teachers
• Interventionists
• High school classroom teachers
• Math Specialists
• Middle school classroom teachers
• Special Education teachers (self-contained and Resource/CM/Inclusion/In-class support)
• Reading Specialists

Who is not eligible for the Teacher Retention Allotment but will receive a 3% of midpoint salary increase (for returning employees) instead of the TRA?

Returning employees who do not meet the criteria outlined above are eligible for the 3% of midpoint raise. Below are some examples of these employee groups:

• Administrators
• Admin. Interns
• Athletic Trainers
• Auxiliary employees (custodians, bus drivers, SN specialists, etc.)
• Behavior Specialists
• Campus CTE Specialists
• Counselors
• Data Instructional Specialists
• Diagnosticians
• Instructional Coaches
• Instructional Facilitators
• Instructional Specialists
• Librarians
• Nurses
• Speech Language Pathologists
• Paraprofessionals

Did House Bill 2 include state funding for non-teaching staff members?

HB 2 includes a Support Staff Retention Allotment that provides $45 per student to fund raises for non-administrative staff; however, that amount would not fund even a 1% raise for those employees.  Despite facing a deficit budget, the Board of Trustees adopted a budget with a 3% midpoint raise for all employees who did not benefit from the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA), including teachers with less than 3 years of experience.

 

For additional information or answers to specific individual questions, call Human Resources or email HRcompensation@misdmail.org.