Our Cedar Hill ISD Compensation package is designed to ensure we promote an atmosphere that attracts, motivates and retains high performing employees and provides support to the organizational mission to educate, empower and inspire.  By researching and evaluating the organizational needs of the district and assessing market trends, we proactively ensure our compensation programs are competitive and align with our district's philosophy.

We believe our compensation package is designed to support and reinforce our mission by attracting high quality educators to drive high quality academics that meet the scholars needs in a positive learning environment. Therefore, the goal of the Cedar Hill ISD Human Resources Department is to attract and hire the best through competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits plan; build and motivate the best; and retain talented employees that help cultivate the best work environment for our staff and scholars.

At their regular meeting on May 18, 2026, the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the 2026-2027 Compensation Plan. 

With a projected $6 million deficit budget, the District was unable to provide across-the-board raises. However, after conducting a salary study, some salary ranges and stipends were adjusted to reflect the market. 

“It is always hard when you aren't able to provide a raise, and it is especially hard when you are in that situation for multiple years,” said Superintendent Dr. Maria Gamell. “Thankfully, House Bill 2 provided additional funds earmarked for teacher and support staff salaries. Unfortunately, with declining enrollment and no substantial increase to our daily allotment since 2019, the District had to work within a budget filled with rising costs and decreased funding.”

The approved compensation plan allows for educators to increase their take-home income through stipends and incentives, including the Teacher Incentive Allotment, which can provide up to $16,791 for qualified teachers.

Additional stipends that will see an increase for next year include:

•  $5,000 for bilingual positions, including teachers, diagnosticians, and speech pathologists,
• $1,000 for teachers of STAAR and End-of-Course-tested subjects, and
• $3,500 for qualified special education teachers. 

Stipends for fine arts and athletics were also adjusted, with the possibility of more than $10,000 in additional income depending on how many stipends a teacher qualifies for. 

“Although we are not in a position to increase base salaries at this time, employees have the opportunity to significantly enhance their overall compensation through stipends and incentives. Depending on eligibility and participation, employees may earn an additional $1,000, $5,000, or even more than $20,000 in supplemental pay,” said Gamell.

FAQs Regarding the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA)

What is the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA)

The Texas Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA), created by House Bill 2, gives school districts money to help raise teacher salaries based on how long they've been teaching. Districts with over 5,000 students, such as Cedar Hill ISD, will get $2,500 for each teacher with 3–4 years of experience and $5,000 for those teachers with 5 or more years of experience. HB2 did not include funding to raise salaries for teachers with less than 3 years of experience or administrators.

How is “teacher” defined regarding TRA to identify who is eligible for raises?
According to the TRA law (Texas Education Code, Sec. 48.158), a classroom teacher is someone who:
- Teaches in an academic or career/technology setting for an average of at least four hours per day, and
- Has a job that usually requires a teaching certificate from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), or does work that could require one. These teachers must also be listed as Staff Classification 087 (classroom teacher) in the district’s PEIMS records.

Who is eligible for TRA?
Employees who meet the rules above include people in these roles:
- Elementary, middle, and high school classroom teachers
- Special education teachers (both self-contained and resource/inclusion)
- Dyslexia specialists

Who is not eligible for TRA but will receive the 1% of the midpoint salary increase?

Additional non-administrative returning employees who don’t meet the State’s criteria for the TRA will get a 1% raise based on the pay range midpoint.
Examples include:
- Custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and other support staff
- Counselors
- Diagnosticians
- Instructional Specialists
- Instructional Coordinators
- Librarians
- Nurses
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Paraprofessionals
- Non-administrative Professional Staff
- Police Officers

Did House Bill 2 include State funding for non-teaching staff?
HB 2 includes a $45 per student allotment to support raises for non-administrative staff. The CHISD Board of Trustees approved a 1% midpoint raise for all non-administrative employees who didn’t receive the TRA. Teachers with 0–2 years of experience will get between $500 and $1,500*.

How can I figure out how much of a raise I’ll get as a teacher?
To calculate your raise, count how many full years you’ve taught (remember, all teachers have a year 0). For example, if you started teaching in the 2020–2021 school year, you’ve completed 3 years of teaching and are starting your 4th year of teaching. That means you’d get the raise for 3 years of experience, which is $2,500.

What will teachers with 0-2 years of experience get?*
The following amounts will be added to the teacher’s salary schedule for those teachers with 0-2 years of experience:
- 0 years - $500
- 1 year - $1,000
- 2 years - $1,500
*DOI and Grow Your Own teachers with 0-2 years of experience are not included in any of the increases. 

Who is considered administrative staff?
Administrative staff includes principals, assistant principals, directors, executive directors, chiefs, and superintendents.

How will I know what exact raise will be?
You should get a salary letter by August 1.

I still have questions. Who should I contact?
human.resources@chisd.net