The statewide program is intended to help high-performing teachers reach a six-figure salary by earning stipends based on their effectiveness in the classroom. GISD has been working to join the TIA for the past two school years.
How it works
The TIA provides Texas teachers anywhere from $3,000 to $36,000 in additional pay on top of their salary based on the level of designation they receive, including recognized, exemplary and master. Teachers at some campuses may receive more funding than others due to the school’s student demographics, said Wes Vanicek, GISD chief of construction and future readiness initiatives, at an Oct. 6 board workshop.
Teachers may earn one of the three designations based on a teacher evaluation system, known as T-TESS, and the percentage of their students that met or exceeded their expected growth on assessments, Vanicek said. TIA designations may remain effective for up to five years.
The impact
Based on data collected in the 2024-25 school year, GISD teachers may receive the following amounts depending on their designation status and campus:
Beginning next school year, the state will introduce a new “acknowledged” designation to provide up to $9,000 to the top 50% of Texas teachers, Vanicek said. Additionally, the state will provide the following amounts for the designations below:
- Recognized: up to $15,000 for the top 33% of teachers
- Exemplary: up to $25,000 for the top 20% of teachers
- Master: up to $36,000 for the top 5% of teachers
Next steps
The district applied to join the TIA in April 2024 and will submit performance data collected from teachers last school year in mid-October, Vanicek said.
Eligible teachers are expected to be notified of their designations in April or May and receive their first payments in June, according to district documents. Around 600-700 GISD teachers are currently eligible, Vanicek said.
