On Tuesday, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced more than $290 million in Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) funds has been awarded for nearly 25,000 designated Texas teachers during the 2023-24 school year.
There were 481 school systems that participated in the program during the 2023-24 school year, with 306 fully approved to award teacher designations. A total of 542 school systems employs a designated teacher eligible to receive TIA funds. Districts receive full approval to award teacher designations following a comprehensive application and approval process using data from classroom observations and student academic growth.
“Teachers have been working together. The things our designated teachers are doing in their classes, non-designated teachers are modeling. It’s been a great benefit for our teachers and our kids,” said Martinsville ISD principal, Keith Martin. MISD, a rural district in East Texas, is one of the 306 fully approved districts participating in the program.
A catalyst for helping highquality teachers remain in the classroom, TIA creates accessible pathways for teachers to earn up to six-figure salaries.
A recent TEA study conducted during the 2023-24 school year showed that designated teacher retention exceeded the statewide teacher retention rate by eight percentage points.
“TIA has completely changed the game for highquality teachers. We no longer have to leave the classroom and become an administrator to enhance our retirement. It allows us to do what we love and make an impact on our students’ lives for our entire career,” said James Fernandez, a Master designated teacher in Longview ISD.
School systems participating in TIA determine teacher designations using data from classroom observations and student growth outcomes.
Designated teachers who remain in classroom teaching positions generate annual funding for teacher compensation.
Districts may include all teachers in the first year of their local designation system, or they may choose to start with a smaller number of eligible teaching assignments and expand their system over time.
Next school year, approximately 600 districts will be participating in TIA.
Within Region 17 that spans school districts surrounding the Lubbock region, the school districts that were deemed eligible include: Abernathy ISD, Brownfield ISD, Crosbyton ISD, Lamesa ISD, Levelland ISD, Lorenzo ISD, Lubbock ISD, Morton ISD, O’Donnell ISD, Roosevelt ISD, Ropes ISD, Slaton ISD and Smyer ISD.