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What Is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
What Is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) was established in 2019 with the goal of providing outstanding teachers with an accessible pathway to a six-figure salary. Unlike previous education programs, TIA is not a grant. Based in the Texas Education Code (TEC) §§21.3521 and 48.112, TIA is built to provide lasting funds for outstanding Texas teachers to remain in the classroom, especially in high-needs and rural areas.
Through approved local designation systems, districts can reward and compensate their teachers based on teacher performance. Now in the sixth year of its enactment, TIA has proven to have a strong impact on teacher retention and teacher performance. Building on the success of TIA, House Bill 2 (HB 2) was enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 4, 2025. HB 2 has expanded funding for TIA district supports, increased teacher eligibility and allotments, and introduced Enhanced TIA for districts implementing advanced compensation systems. This investment in the teaching profession provides greater resources for districts to recognize, reward, and retain outstanding educators, ensuring continued progress and student success across Texas.
Designations
Allotment: $3,000–$9,000
Allotment: $6,000–$18,000
Allotment: $12,000–$32,000
Teacher designations generate additional teacher-focused allotment funding for districts to reward and retain their most effective teachers. Teachers earn designations through two different routes. First, National Board Certified teachers are eligible to earn a Recognized designation. Second, districts may designate their effective teachers when they are approved for a local teacher designation system. The approval process is multi-step and includes the submission of a system application to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and then a data validation process through Texas Tech University.
New Designation Level: Acknowledged
Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, districts with local designation systems may designate teachers at the new Acknowledged level based on their performance during the current 2025–2026 school year.
The table below outlines the state minimum scores for performance standards for each designation level. These standards may be increased in the local designation system implemented in each participating district.
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