Frequently Asked Questions

Please use the Google Form below to submit any questions you have about the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program. I will respond via email. No question is too small—feel free to submit any questions, concerns, or requests for clarification you may have throughout the process. 

What happens to the money if I move to another school system?

While designations are tied to the teacher and not their employing district or campus, allotment funds are awarded to the district where the teacher was employed as of the last Friday in February.

For teachers who meet eligibility criteria, the district employing the teacher as of the last Friday in February will receive funds for that school year and must spend the allotment funds by August 31. The percentage of allotment awarded to the designated teacher varies by district. Districts are not required to forward funds if the teacher resigns or retires before August 31.

If a designated teacher moves to a new district or campus between school years, the allotment for the next school year will be recalculated in April based on the new campus’ rural status and level of socioeconomic need.

What if I take a year off of teaching? Do I lose funding?

Once awarded, the designation will remain active until it expires. TEA will annually check designated teacher placement and eligibility. If the teacher returns to a teaching position and meets the year of service while the designation is still active, they can generate funding for their employing district.

Will the allotment amount change if a designated teacher moves to another school system?

TIA allotments and teacher payouts vary from school to school. Designated teachers generate an annual allotment for their employing school district based on the current school year campus of employment.

Districts create their own spending plans based on local needs; the percentage awarded to the designated teacher varies by school district. Some districts award TIA compensation through single or multiple stipends, whereas other districts incorporate TIA funds into an elevated salary schedule for teachers.

The amount awarded to designated teachers varies based on their designation, their campus level of socioeconomic need and rural status, and the spending plan created by the district.

I’m not a certified teacher. Can I still earn a designation?

House Bill 1525 in 2021 removed the certification requirement for TIA. Uncertified teachers are eligible for designation.

When will I find out if I earned a designation?

Districts verify and confirm designations and allotments in late April/early May. TEA will send an email to teachers in late May notifying them of their designation and the funds generated for their district. Contact your district TIA lead to confirm the local notification timeline.

What happens if I change school systems between data capture and data submission?

There is a two-year process to earning a designation. First the district captures teacher effectiveness data over the course of their data capture year. Then, the following year, the district submits a list of teachers they wish to designate. The teacher must be employed with the same district both years to be eligible, as the district cannot designate teachers or receive funds if they no longer employ them.

When will I get my TIA check?

Districts create their own spending plans based on local needs; the percentage awarded to the designated teacher varies by school district. Some districts award TIA compensation through single or multiple stipends, whereas other districts incorporate TIA funds into an elevated salary schedule for teachers.

Districts must spend 90% or more of the allotment on teacher compensation on the campus where the designated teacher works by August 31 each school year.

Where does TIA funding come from?

TIA funding was built into Texas state law as part of House Bill 3 during the 86th Texas Legislature. It is a Tier 1 allotment through the Foundation School Program (FSP), the system through which the state provides funding to districts. This system, grounded in the Texas Education Code, creates a sustainable funding source for districts implementing TIA.

How does TIA factor into TRS retirement?

TIA compensation is TRS eligible. The TRS has limits (10% or $10,000 increase per year) on eligible salary increases in the last three or five years prior to retirement, which could limit the extent to which the TIA compensation paid in those years is TRS eligible. Members close to retiring can contact a TRS Benefit Counselor when they are ready to retire to determine if this limit will impact their retirement annuity calculation.

Many districts allow eligible teachers to waive an annual appraisal. Will an annual appraisal be required for teachers to earn a designation?

Districts must have observation and student data from the data capture year for all teachers in the district’s system. After receiving full system approval, districts may have teachers on appraisal waivers, but those teachers may not be submitted for proposed designations. An annual appraisal is required for teachers to earn a designation. TEA cautions districts to use waivers sparingly following system approval, as this may impact future data validation and future proposed designations. Appraisals must comply with §21.351 and §21.352.