Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) is a key part of HB3, dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and retaining highly effective teachers in all schools, with particular emphasis on high-need and rural schools. Districts, if they choose to, can develop a local designation system and designate high-performing teachers (Master, Exemplary or Recognized). Districts will receive additional funding ($3,000-$32,000 per year) for every designated teacher they employ. Districts will receive greater funding for designated teachers who work on rural and/or high-needs campuses. At least 90% of TIA funds must be used on teacher compensation on the campus where the designated teacher works. Texas Education Agency (TEA), in partnership with Texas Tech University, will approve the local designation systems.

In order to continue to attract, retain, and reward effective teachers, Atlanta ISD has chosen to participate in the Teacher Incentive Allotment to maintain competitive salaries within the region. Atlanta believes that an effective teacher is the single most important factor in student achievement. Thus, teachers who meet the TEA eligibility requirements, can demonstrate their effectiveness through the teacher observation protocol, and whose students show yearly progress on the designated assessment are eligible to earn Teacher Incentive Allotment designations.

Certified teachers are eligible to earn a designation by meeting the requirements detailed below: 

• teaching in an eligible teaching assignment at a TIA-eligible campus at the time of snapshot and at the winter class roster submission; 
• remaining in an eligible teaching assignment the following school year at the time of data submission; 
• earning a creditable year of service in Atlanta ISD in a position with a Public Education Information Management (PEIMS) role ID code of 087 for at least 180 days at 100% of the day; and 
• appraised by T-TESS and scoring a rating of proficient (3) or higher across all dimensions in Domain 2: Instruction and Domain 3: Learning Environment.

Phase 1 (Year One) Eligible teaching assignments include:  

✓ Reading/English: PK through Grade 8 Reading and English 1-2 

✓ Mathematics: Grades 3-8 and Algebra 1

✓ Science: Grades 5 and 8

✓ Social Studies: Grade 8 and U.S. History

Phase 2 (Year Two) Eligible teachers include:  

The following core teachers will be added to the list shown above.

✓ Reading/English: English III, English IV

✓ Mathematics: Geometry, Algebra 2, Financial Math, Precalculus

✓ Science: Science Grades 6-7, Anatomy & Physiology, Pathophysiology, Chemistry, Integrated Physics & Chemistry, Physics, Principles of Technology, Scientific Research and Design 

✓ Social Studies: Social Studies Grades 6-7, World Geography, World History, Government, Economics

Atlanta ISD will use the following measurements for the local designation system:

Measure #1 Teacher Observation/T-TESS - Strongly calibrated teacher observation system which shows a congruence of observation scores to student growth.

Measure #2 Student Performance - Accurate and reliable measures of a teacher’s impact on student growth, with constant disaggregation and analysis of data to show a high level of validity and reliability.

T-TESS/Observations are 40% and Student Growth Measures are 60%.

It depends. First, each designation is awarded differently (i.e. a master teacher will be impacted more than a recognized or distinguished teacher). Also, teachers who serve in schools with a higher number of low socio-economic students earn more than those who serve in schools with a lower number.

Ninety percent of allotted funds must be used toward teacher compensation on the campus where the designated teacher works. It will be distributed as a lump sum payout.