Houston Federation of Teachers Secures Court Victory in Pay-for-Performance Dispute

Houston educators scored a significant legal win this month when a Harris County judge issued a partial injunction against Houston ISD's plan to distribute state-mandated teacher raises through a performance-based system.

The ruling comes after the Houston Federation of Teachers (HFT) sued the district, arguing that HISD's plan violated state law and would deny many educators the full raises promised by the Legislature.

The dispute centers on the Teacher Retention Allotment, created under House Bill 2 earlier this year. The law requires districts to provide $2,500 raises for teachers with three to five years of experience and $5,000 raises for teachers with five or more years, based strictly on years of service.

HISD, however, sought to tie the raises to teacher performance ratings, claiming it could use an exemption designed for districts with state-approved local evaluation systems. HFT challenged the move, pointing out that HISD's evaluation system has not received the required state approval, making the district ineligible for the exemption.

Judge Cheryl Elliott Thornton agreed that HISD could not proceed under its current plan, ruling that the district is barred from diverting the state funds into a merit-pay structure. While the injunction does not yet require HISD to adopt the Legislature's seniority-based formula, it halts the district's performance-based rollout and reinforces that state law governs how these raises must be awarded.

For educators, the ruling is a clear affirmation of HFT's position: state-funded raises should not be manipulated into an unapproved merit-pay experiment. The decision also has potential ripple effects, sending a warning to other districts that might consider diverting retention funds away from the statutory framework.

Texas AFT and HFT will continue to monitor this case closely, providing updates as we get more information. Future hearings and district responses will determine whether HISD shifts to the formula laid out in HB 2, seeks to refine its evaluation system for approval, or pursues further appeals.

In the meantime, this injunction represents a critical safeguard for Houston teachers and a reminder that collective action can hold districts accountable to both educators and the law.