HB3 Update: Teacher Incentive Allotment
In an effort to attract more attention to the teaching field, the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) is an exciting new allotment implemented through HB3 bill. TIA is meant to encourage people to join the teaching profession by providing a pathway to earn an annual $100,000 salary. Participation in the allotment is completely optional and at the discretion of the charter school. Charter schools that choose to participate must develop a local “designation system” that will designate high-performing teachers. Charter schools will have the opportunity to receive $3,000 – $32,000 per eligible certified teacher.
How to Partake
Charter schools must apply to participate in the program. If your school intends to participate, TEA asks that your charter school inform them of this intention via email at TIA@tea.Texas.gov. Applications will be posted later this winter and approvals will start going out in the summer of 2020.
Charter schools that are interested must also develop their own local system that will designate high-performing teachers they will categorize as Master, Exemplary, and Recognized. To be able to apply for the allotment in the 2019-2020 school year, districts will have to pay their teachers in the 2019-2020 school year based on their performance during the 2018-2019 school year.
Designation System
A charter school’s designation system must meet statewide standards and provide evidence of its effectiveness. The system must include:
- Teacher Observations
- Rubrics to be approved by the state
- Student Performance Measures
- Optional Measures
- Charter schools may add other criteria such as surveys as seen fit for their system
- State’s Role & Partnership with Texas Tech
- The state will not develop a local designation system for a school; they want to leave those distinctions up to the school, however, a school’s system must be approved by TEA in order to be eligible. TEA and Texas Tech University have entered into a partnership that will allow them to work together to approve these local designated systems. Local systems will be approved based on their validity and reliability and whether or not they meet state-wide standards. State-wide standards have not yet been developed, but TEA and Texas Tech, along with the Educator Advisory Committee, are in the process of developing these state-wide standards.
Funding
Only certified teachers are eligible for the allotment. Designation is not tied to a grade level or content area, but tied to the teacher. If the teacher moves to a different school, the funds will move with the teacher. There is not a cap on the number of teachers who can earn a designation within a school. 90% of TIA Funds must be used on teacher compensation and expensed on the campus at which the teacher works. Districts in high needs or rural areas will receive greater funding.
Funding will be based on 3 factors:
- Teacher Designation
- Recognized – $3,000 – $9,000
- Exemplary – $6,000 – $18,000
- Master – $12,000 – $32,000
- Student Socio-Economic Level
- Rural Status. Rural students earn a point value two tiers higher. Sec. 48.112 of HB3 defines Rural campuses as campuses located in:
- An area that is not designated as an urbanized area or urban cluster by the United States Census Bureau, and a school district with fewer than 5,000 enrolled students
- Designated as a rural campus under rules adopted by the commissioner.
TEA has provided this helpful graph to illustrate potential funding based on the three factors:
Other Helpful Notes
Teacher Appraisal Survey
The information gathered in this survey will help TEA, Texas Tech, and the Educator Advisory Committee determine the state-wide standards. The survey is now up. Access it here.
National Board Certification
If a teacher holds a National Board Certificate, they will automatically earn a recognized designation. This designation will be added to the Teacher’s SBEC Certificate and is valid for five years. For more information please visit this website. www.nbpts.org
Funding Map
TEA plans to release a website of a Funding Map by School in the future. The website will provide a downloadable list of yearly funding available per campus.
Preliminary List of Rural Campuses
Access the list here.