Richardson ISD is working to expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state-funded program that provides stipends to high-performing teachers. Last year alone, RISD’s 186 TIA-designated teachers received roughly $2.5 million from the state through TIA, said Frank Patranella, RISD’s director of Teacher Incentive Allotment and National Board Certification. Patranella told the school board at the Aug. 20 meeting that TIA improves teacher retention and supports student growth.

The big picture: The Teacher Incentive Allotment was established by the Texas Legislature in 2019 to allow school districts to designate and reward top-performing teachers, Patranella said. The goal is to provide additional compensation to prevent those top-performing teachers from leaving the classroom, he said. RISD currently has 186 designated teachers receiving stipends at 28 participating campuses, but is expanding to 38 TIA campuses for the 2026-27 school year.

Quote of note: “We know that the number one factor in the classroom for the student outcomes is having a high quality, strong teacher,” Patranella said. “We leverage the Teacher Incentive Allotment to reward, retain and recruit those teachers.”

A new independent bookseller is coming to Richardson. Porchlight Books is launching this fall as a pop-up bookstore, focusing primarily on events in Richardson and the surrounding North Dallas area, owner Ann Halff said in an email.

The details: The bookstore’s first event will be at The Boho Market at CityLine Plaza on Sept. 11, with future pop-ups to be announced on the store’s Instagram. Halff said Porchlight Books will offer “a wide range of books from day one,” including children’s picture books, middle-grade and YA books and adult fiction and nonfiction.

Quote of note: “Ultimately, my goal is to open a brick-and-mortar independent bookstore in Richardson, but until then, Porchlight Books will be a pop-up bookstore that allows us to participate in local events, build a community of readers and prove the concept as we grow,” Halff said.

• Opening Sept. 11

Check out five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Coleman Street Widening
Project: Coleman Street in Prosper is being widened to four lanes. One project will widen the roadway from two to four lanes between Gorgeous Road and Prosper Trail, and a second project will construct the remaining two southbound lanes of Coleman Street between Prosper Trail and Prosper High School.
Update: Both projects are nearing completion of the design phase. The town has acquired necessary right of way for both sections, and utility relocation is underway.

• Timeline: winter 2026-winter 2027
• Cost: $6.65 million (Gorgeous Road to Prosper Trail), $3.77 million (Prosper Trail to Prosper High School)
• Funding source: town of Prosper

• Timeline: late July-early September
• Cost: not available
• Funding source: Atmos Gas

Voters will choose between two candidates for the Texas House District 70 position this Nov. 3 election.

What you need to know: Democratic incumbent Mihaela Plesa is running against Republican candidate George Flint. Texas House District 70’s representative serves residents in parts of Plano, north Dallas, Richardson and Allen.