What is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
Hearne ISD TIA FAQ Internal ListHearne ISD TIA FAQ
Why does Hearne ISD want to participate in the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
We want to recruit, retain, and reward the best teachers at our campuses with the highest needs. In addition, we want to encourage the professional growth and development of teachers.
When/ How would we be able to get this money?
The timeline for Cohort D districts is on the Hearne ISD Teacher Incentive Allotment webpage, but the first payout notification for qualified teachers would be during Fall 2023.
Will CTE teachers be included in this incentive, or is it only for tested subjects?
We will need the help of CTE teachers to assist us in creating Pre and Post tests for their areas so that they can have a path to qualify for the Teacher Incentive Allotment. The post test in most cases would be the industry certification.
Will content area specialists and instructional coaches be eligible for the allotment?
This will be discussed with our District Stakeholder Committee. the Teacher Incentive Allotment requires that 90% of the funds be used on the campus of the qualified teacher which includes their teacher allotment. The district plan may be able to include compensation for other professionals that support teachers such as Specialists. That will be decided in our plan.
Is effectiveness only measured through test scores?
No – The components of the Teacher Incentive Allotment include teacher observation, student growth, as well as teacher professional responsibilities and/or parent perception surveys.
How will Hearne ISD teachers qualify for the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
National Board Certified teachers currently classified as a classroom teacher automatically qualify regardless of campus assignment. Additionally, Texas school districts have the option to develop their own designation systems for highly effective teachers. Hearne ISD will be developing such as system. The designation system relies upon, at a minimum, teacher observation and student growth measures. Optional components may be defined locally, such as professional growth or parent survey input.
How are teachers graded for the Teacher Incentive Allotment? What requirements do a teacher need to meet to be considered a Recognized, Exemplary or Master Teacher for the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
We are creating those guidelines right now as we complete our application for submission. the Texas Education Agency requires at a minimum a teacher observation/appraisal component and a student growth component (NWEA MAP, STAAR/EOC, Pre/Post Tests, student learning objectives. We are also asking for input from every teacher and administrator in Hearne ISD.
TEA Growth and Observation Standards for TIA
How can I become a Master Teacher in TX?
The TEA Teacher Incentive Allotment allows teachers to achieve the Master Teacher designation via becoming a National Board Certified Teacher or meeting the district requirements of the Teacher Incentive Allotment.
How will we do this?
In order to qualify for the TIA, TEA requires valid and reliable teacher observation systems and student growth measures. In our District, the teacher observation component is T-TESS, which meets the TEA requirement for teacher observation performance standards within TIA. Student growth measures may include a combination of measures such as pre-tests and post-tests and student learning objectives (SLOs) depending on the grade level and subject. For TIA, student growth is the percentage of students who met or exceeded their growth expectations, regardless of the measure used, and this percentage is one of the indicators that identifies a teacher at the recognized, exemplary, or master levels. The other factors in the TIA program have yet to be finalized or determined but include measures related to professional growth, campus culture, or other identified areas.
I love the idea of teachers getting more money, but worry about the ability to calibrate and create instructional models that are
We will calibrate administrators and teachers using TTESS and will calibrate multiple times per year. The TIA application requires a created plan for teacher observation calibration. The plan also includes student growth and professional responsibility components that will be added into the formula. We are allowing for input from 100% of our district teaching staff via the weekly surveys.
How much money will teachers earn?
For each designated teacher, districts will receive additional funding, 90% of which must be used on teacher compensation where that teacher works. Award amounts will vary from campus to campus because they are weighted by the state using the state compensatory education data. The designation moves with the teacher, but the award amount will be different based on where the teacher works. In addition, depending on the system developed by the District, award amounts could be modified over time based on changes and teacher performance.
Some paraprofessionals are certified
Great insight! We will certainly look at this during our District Stakeholder Committee!
How much money would each teacher receive individually who are eligible?
These amounts are still under development as we complete the district plan, but the Teacher Incentive Allotment has a formula based on the campus population and percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The qualified teacher would receive the incentive for their designation - Recognized, Exemplary, or Master Teacher.
How are Teacher Incentive Allotment Funds distributed?
Statute requires that 90% of TIA funds be distributed directly to teachers at the campus in which the designated teacher is employed at the time the TIA funds are disbursed. The remaining 10% will be used for training and support of the system, expansion of the system, administrative expenses, and professional development.
When teachers qualify, how do they get paid?
TIA-designated teachers will receive TIA compensation annually based on their TIA designation and TIA state funding for their campus of assignment at the time TIA funds are disbursed.
Does the Teacher Incentive Allotment affect my current pay of the pay schedule?
The allotment funds will not replace the current District salary schedule. TIA compensation will be in addition to the District’s salary schedule.
Will the Teacher Incentive Allotment affect my TRS?
TIA compensation will be included in the annual wages reported to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and will be used when calculating retirement benefits. TRS benefits are subject to TRS rules and regulations.
What can I as a teacher specifically do right now?
Teachers can stay informed about the district plan through reading the Superintendent's Weekly Newsletter, watching requested videos, and completing the weekly surveys. Teachers can continue to do their best job daily to improve student outcomes. The components of the Teacher Incentive Allotment that are reviewed include the teacher appraisal (TTESS), student growth (Student Learning Objectives, NWEA MAP, Pre/Post Tests or other, and Teacher Professional Responsibilities.
How do instructional support fit into this? (i.e: specialists and coaches)
Teachers coded in district PEIMS reporting. Role ID 087 includes teachers of record, assistant teachers, and support teachers. Interventionists, reading specialists, inclusion teachers, etc. that are generally coded as 087. Districts must check with their PEIMS specialists and payroll personnel to ensure that teachers meet eligibility requirements before submitting them for designation. We will need to develop a separate local incentive program aligned with the Teacher Incentive Program for staff who are not PEIMS coded 087 (teacher)
How will we monitor the distribution of 'Bonus" points?
All Teacher Incentive Allotment points/weights are monitored by the district. The bonus point areas are teacher participation in identified programs. The Texas Education Agency also utilizes their authority found in TEC §48.004, §48.270, and §48.272 to audit districts in their compliance with Texas Education Code and Texas Administrative Code for the Teacher Incentive Allotment.
Are the Teacher Responsibilities Chart made by the district or the state?
The Teacher Responsibilities actually were created from the entire district teaching staff from Survey #2 and from input from the District Stakeholder Committee. The Teacher Responsibilities Chart areas are aligned with TTESS and the Code for Educator Standards.
Do I qualify as a 1/2 time teacher?
LEAs must verify that each teacher meets the following eligibility requirements before submitting them for a designation:
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The teacher must have a valid SBEC certificate. Eligible types of certificate include: Standard, Professional, Provisional. Eligible classes of certificates include: Classroom Teacher (Chapter 233), Reading Specialist (Chapter 239), Legacy Master Teacher
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The teacher must be coded as 087 (Teacher) per the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) description of codes for 90 days at 100% of the day (equivalent to four and one-half months or a full semester) or 180 days required at 50-99% of the day and compensated for that employment.
When do we get a copy of this chart for our personal reference?
The chart has already been given to all staff through the News for Hearne Staff in late March and will also be part of the upcoming Hearne ISD Teacher Incentive Allotment Guidebook.
If an educator teaches two different subjects, are they required to have to do the process for both subjects or just one?
The subject area content will not matter. The teacher’s total number of student percentiles will be calculated for growth. You will still receive the same number of appraisal/walkthroughs, etc….as is communicated each year.