FISD’s application for Phase 1 of the TIA program was approved by the Texas Education Agency, according to a district news release. Teachers eligible for the program must be classified as a top-performing teacher under the TEA’s standards, the release states.
“I am incredibly proud of the designated teachers and know they are more than deserving of the state-funded stipend,” FISD Superintendent Mike Waldrip said in the release.
How we got here
House Bill 3 was passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019 and created the TIA program with the goal of creating a six-figure salary for teachers who prioritize teaching in high-need areas and rural district campuses, according to the TEA. The program is optional for districts to participate in and is intended to be a state-funded pathway for educators to earn higher salaries, per FISD’s website.
FISD has worked to receive additional funding for teachers since 2019 through the program, the release states.
The details
Stipend amounts vary based on five indicators and three designation categories: recognized, exemplary and master. A higher designation results in a higher stipend, according to FISD.
The standards for designations take into account a teacher’s ability to grow students academically through state tests, such as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. Nontested subjects will be evaluated through a portfolio method, according to FISD.
Teachers who are Nationally Board Certified will automatically receive a recognized status and a state stipend.
FISD will be phasing three select groups of teachers to earn their designations. The phases are:
- Phase 1 is for teachers of 4-8 grade math and reading, algebra 1, and English 2.
- Phase 2 is for additional core areas in the 2023-24 school years. Teachers in this phase will learn if the district’s designation system will be approved in spring 2025
- Phase 3 and all future phases are in the planning process as the district adds eligible courses.
