TIA FAQ

In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature created the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) as part of HB3 to provide additional funding for highly effective teachers. The program focuses on prioritizing teaching in high-needs areas and rural school districts and rewarding high-performing teachers.  

The ultimate goal is to recognize and reward effective teaching and incentivize outstanding teachers to remain in the classroom and improve student outcomes.

All Edgewood ISD teachers Pre K- 12 will be eligible.

Eligibility for TIA Designation in Edgewood: 

1.  A teacher must be coded as a teacher (code 087) within our local student information system, Ascender, which is reported to TEA through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). 

2. . As long as the teacher is coded as 087 in a TIA-eligible teaching assignment, there are no certification requirements. 

3.  A teacher must receive district salary compensation that mirrors PEIMS teacher coding for a minimum of 90 days at 100% of the day or 180 days at 50-99% of the day. 

4. Teachers employed in a TIA-eligible teaching assignment before October 1st of each school year and remain employed in the TIA-eligible teaching assignment through the end of the school year will be eligible.

Teacher Observation- 40%

TIA establishes a priority emphasis on the Instruction (Domain 2) and Learning Environment (Domain 3) domains of the T-TESS evaluation. 

To be eligible for a TIA designation, teachers must earn a rating of proficient or higher on each of the eight dimensions measured across Domains 2 and 3. In addition, based on an analysis of statewide T-TESS observation data, TEA has identified the following average scores across Domains 2 and 3 of T-TESS:

● Recognized designation ≥  3.7

 ● Exemplary designation ≥  3.9

 ● Master designation ≥  4.5

More information can be found in TEA’s Teacher Observation Performance Standards document.

Student Growth- 60%

To be eligible for a TIA designation, teachers must have student growth data from a TIA-eligible course during the data capture year.

TEA established these expectations based on statewide performance expectations:

● Recognized designation ≥   55%

● Exemplary designation >≥ 0% 

● Master designation ≥ 70%

More information can be found in TEA’s Student Growth Performance Standards document.

Recognized: 62.6

Exemplary:   67.2

Master:          78

Note: To designate, teachers must meet the minimum cut score in both their student growth and T-TESS observation to be eligible for designation. 

April 2024 --Application turned in to TIA

August 2024- June 2025--Data capture

October 2025--Data & Designations submitted to TIA

November 2025--Designation fees due to TIA, $500 per designee

February 2026--We will be notified if our data is accepted

April 2026--Designations approved by the State. 

August 2026--District must expend what is in allotment

September 2026--The State will settle up with the designation fees from November 2025 & the designation awards of August 2026.

Resignation:

•  If a designated teacher resigns after the Winter Roster Submission and completes the remainder of their contract,  the designated teacher will receive their May payment (50% of the allotment), but they will not receive their August (25% of the allotment) stipend that year. 

• However, a TIA committee would meet to consider special circumstances such as a teacher leaving due to a death in the family, a military transfer of a spouse, a sick parent, etc.

•  If the committee determines that the resignation is not a special circumstance,  the August stipend of 25% of the designee's allotment will be used to fund a new hire signing bonus and the remainder of the funds will be equally disseminated to the designated campus. 

•  If the committee determines that the resignation is a special circumstance the designee will receive their August payment. 

• If a designated teacher resigns after the Winter Roster submission but does not complete the remainder of their contract, the remainder of the designee’s allotment will be used to fund a new hire signing bonus, and the remainder of the funds will be equally disseminated to the designated campus. 

Retirement: 

•  If a designated teacher retires after the Winter Roster Submission and completes the remainder of their contract, the designated teacher will receive all three stipend payments (October, May, and August).  The retiring designated teacher would have the option to receive their August payment in May or August.

Designations issued through a local designation system are valid for five school years. Once the designation expires, the teacher may be issued a new designation if they continue to work in a district with an approved designation system and meet the district’s performance criteria.

Teachers may only have one active designation at a time. Designated teachers working in a district with a local designation system may be put forth for a higher designation within the five-year window if they meet the district’s performance criteria. In these cases, the higher designation replaces the lower designation, and the five-year clock restarts. 

Likewise, teachers may not be put forth by a district for a lower or equal designation. 

Eligible National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) may earn a Recognized designation and generate an allotment for their district.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Recognized TIA designation, NBCTs must:

• Be listed as a Texas teacher in the NBCT directory

  • NBCTs with an out-of-state directory listing must update their information by January 31 to be eligible for a designation that school year

• Be employed as a teacher by a Texas school district or public charter (coded as 087 Role ID in PEIMS/TSDS)

• Hold an active National Board certificate

Earning Higher Designation Levels

National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who qualify for designation through their district’s local designation system may be put forth for any level of designation. TEA will default to the higher designation, and the Recognized designation will become inactive. In the case of NBCTs with two Recognized designations, the later expiry date will apply.

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TIA compensation stipends will be eligible when calculating retirement benefits for TRS-eligible staff. The employee's net payment will be less than all associated employee/employer-related benefits and taxes. Actual TIA compensation amounts will include deductions for federal income tax, Medicare tax, and TRS contributions as part of an employee’s annual wages reported to the state and federal governments and the Teacher Retirement System (TRS).

Yes. With the passage of HB 1525 in 2021, uncertified teachers who meet their district’s performance criteria may earn designations.