We have some 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 news to share!

Greenville ISD's Teacher Incentive Allotment application has been 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 by the Texas Education Agency. 

The Teacher Incentive Allotment, or TIA, was created in 2019 with the goal of providing top educators the opportunity to earn a six-figure salary. The program was established by House Bill 3, a comprehensive public school funding bill passed by the 86th Texas Legislature.

Through the TIA, districts can receive funding allotments of $3,000–$32,000 per designated teacher. The amount of funding is based on the level of designation each teacher receives, with greater funds being allotted for teachers in high-need and rural districts.

It puts them on a playing field with other high-paying professions and allows teachers to stay in the classroom and receive high compensation.

To date, more than 4,000 of the state’s roughly 360,000 public schoolteachers have been designated by the system, resulting in a payout of approximately $43 million to school districts across Texas.

Measuring teacher effectiveness

Grace Wu, director of strategic compensation at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), believes the incentive program could be a powerful part of a district’s recruitment and retention efforts.

“One of the things we know is that teachers want to stay in a place where they feel valued, where they feel recognized, and where they feel they are continually growing,” said Wu. “TIA can be a great part of your human capital system because it will help to codify how the district is measuring teacher effectiveness. That really speaks to teachers knowing when they are doing well and what [areas] they need to grow in. The teachers will see the benefit financially and professionally.”

Using allotment funds

The TIA requires districts to spend at least 90% of their funding allocation on teacher compensation. Any funds not spent on teacher compensation must be used to implement a local designation system or support teachers who are trying to achieve designation.

Districts have some freedom in deciding how to spend the portion of their allotment that is reserved for teacher compensation. Although these funds must be spent on the campus where the designated teacher works, they do not have to be provided directly to the teacher.

Allotment amounts per designation level

The TIA allows teachers to receive one of three levels of designations. District allotments vary based on the designation and on whether the campus is high needs and/or rural.

Recognized: $3,000-9,000 (Average allotment is $6,181)

Exemplary: $6,000-18,000 (Average allotment is $12,576)

Master: $12,000-32,000 (Average allotment is $22,537)

Click here to learn more about TIA.

“We are VERY excited that GISD has been selected to have the opportunity to provide this benefit for our teachers. They work hard and are dedicated to the success of our students. What better way to express our appreciation than to provide additional funds into our teacher pay,” said GISD Superintendent Sharon Boothe.