The board unanimously approved a spending plan for the Teacher Incentive Allotment program during its regular meeting April 8.
Some context
TIA Consultant Tammy Kreuz said the TIA was part of House Bill 3, passed during the 2019 legislative session. The goal of the initiative is to provide a pathway for Texas teachers to earn compensation similar to other professions to recruit and retain "top talent," she said.
Superintendent Jeff Arnett said the board looked at applying to be part of the TIA about five years ago, but the teacher committee at the time determined it wasn't a good fit for the district.
"However, a lot has changed in those five years," Arnett said. "Now, we're aware that in all likelihood there are going to be different aspects of funding from the state connected to teacher compensation that we cannot participate in or avail ourselves of unless we are participants in the Teacher Incentive Allotment program. ... This is something we no longer have the option of considering."
How it works
There are three TIA designation levels: recognized, exemplary and master. Each designation has a set of parameters teachers must hit, and once it is reached, teachers receive additional compensation each year.
In EISD, recognized teachers could earn an additional $3,062 per year, exemplary teachers an additional $6,123 per year, and master teachers an additional $12,205 per year.
The designation and additional compensation is valid for five years, cannot be revoked or reduced once it's met and follows teachers to other districts if they move, Kreuz said. Teachers can also apply for a designation again once the five years is up.
Also of note
Kreuz said the Legislature gives districts the flexibility to determine how it identifies designations, but at a minimum, must include teacher observation and student growth data.
Most districts use the state-adopted teacher observation instrument T-TESS for the teacher observation metric, she said, and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores can be used as a starting point for the student growth data metric.
A lot of districts begin their TIA plan with the STAAR-tested teachers only as the state already calculates student growth here, Kreuz said.
In EISD, fourth through eighth grade reading and math teachers, Algebra I, and English I and II teachers would be eligible for designations, including special education teachers, if built into the plan.
Additionally, EISD data would be weighed more heavily on the student growth data metric, with 70% based on classroom student growth and 30% on the teacher observation score.
The breakdown
TIA funding is dependent upon a two-step approval process. First, districts go through a system review with the Texas Education Agency and include a plan for its teacher observation and student growth measurements. After the district's first data capture year, this data is then submitted to Texas Tech University for review. This is also when districts recommend teachers for designations.
The board's approval of the TIA spending plan indicates that 90% of funds will go toward teacher compensation with another 10% retained at the district level to help with administrative costs associated with implementing the system.
The vast majority of participating districts utilize this 90/10 spending plan, Kreuz said.
What they're saying
Ultimately, officials are concerned that not participating in TIA leaves the district more vulnerable.
Districts who do not participate may not be eligible to provide staff raises using state funds, based on legislation currently being discussed at the Texas Legislature.
"While we have designated teachers who might be eligible for these monies, we don't want to deny all of our staff the possibility of giving them any increases in state funding for compensation," Arnett said.
Laurie Lee and Abby Bridges with the EISD human resources department said through meetings with teachers, they are aware of how this legislation could impact raises.
Kreuz also said there is legislation being discussed to expand the TIA program to principals and allow more teachers to be eligible to participate.
Still, some board members voiced concerns with the program, labeling it a "culture killer," questioning how quickly all or the majority of teachers would be designated, and considering what the unequal pay between teachers would bring.
"We could have two great teachers with a real difference in pay," trustee Kim McMath said. "That's a hard thing to sell."
What happens next?
TIA applications are due every year by April 15. Once the application is submitted, EISD will be part of the eighth TIA cohort, "Cohort H," and the 2025-26 school year will be the district's first data capture year.
- August 2025: EISD receives notification if application is approved
- October 2026: data review due to Texas Tech University
- February 2027: TEA notifies if EISD designations are approved
- May 2027: final designation allotment amounts determined
- Summer 2027: designated teachers receive payouts
- September 2027: TEA reimburses districts through Foundation School Program payments
