Teacher Incentive Allotment

Brazosport ISD is participating in the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), with data collection beginning in the 2022-2023 school year and if validated, teacher payouts beginning in Spring 2024. This plan was developed by stakeholder committees including teachers and staff from across the district.

Teacher Incentive Allotment will lead to significant pay increases for many teachers in Brazosport ISD.

Teacher Incentive Allotment Overview

KEY POINTS

3 new designations (Master, Exemplary, Recognized) based on teacher effectiveness, added to teacher's SBEC certificate	School districts will receive $3-32K annually per designated teacher	Greater funding for designated teachers on high-needs campuses View BISD's Campus Allotment Values
90% of funding must be spent on teacher compensation on the campus where the designated teacher works TIA Spending Plan Spending Plan Overview		5-year designation validity, regardless of teacher placement, subject or school

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

Funding:

IS THE TIA FUNDED BY THE STATE OR DISTRICT?

TIA is funded by the State of Texas as part of House Bill 3. As a result, the state has established specific criteria and guidelines regarding how the funds can be earned and distributed.

WILL BASE PAY BE FROZEN OR LOWERED IF A TEACHER DOESN’T QUALIFY FOR THE TIA?

No. The TIA is supplemental pay that is above and beyond a teacher’s base salary.

IF A TEACHER ACHIEVES A DESIGNATION IN BISD AND MOVES TO ANOTHER DISTRICT, WILL THEY STILL RECEIVE THE COMPENSATION?

The designation you earn moves with you, your designation will remain on your Texas Educator Certificate until five years have passed from the date you received it. Depending on the timing of when you transfer to another district your TIA compensation for that school year may be impacted.
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 in late February. The district employing the teacher 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’s rural status and level of socioeconomic need.
The designation you earn moves with you, your designation will remain on your Texas Educator Certificate until five years have passed from the date you received it. Depending on the timing of when you transfer to another district your TIA compensation for that school year may be impacted.

IF A TEACHER QUALIFIES, WHEN WILL THEY RECEIVE THE ALLOTMENT?

As part of Cohort E, 2022-2023 is considered the “data collection year.” Once data sources are determined, the results will be collected, evaluated and submitted to Texas Tech in the summer of 2023 as part of the mandatory data validation process. IBISD’s application is accepted AND the district passes the data validation process, teachers will receive notification from the state and/or district regarding their designation during the 2023-2024 school year. Payout of the earned allotment will occur towards the end of the 2023-2024 school year in one lump sum. Final details are still pending regarding the month.

WHAT IF A TEACHER MOVES FROM ONE CAMPUS TO ANOTHER. WILL THE ALLOTMENT AMOUNT BE ALTERED?

Yes. Teachers earn the amount determined by the state for the campus where they are assigned. If a teacher is designated a Master teacher at Campus B for the 2022-2023 school year and then moves to Campus C for the 2023-2024 school year, they will earn the supplemental pay for Campus C regardless of whether that pay is higher or lower. Remember, part of the state’s intent in implementing the TIA is to increase student achievement by incentivizing high performing teachers to teach at “challenged campuses.”

HOW IS THE TIA CAMPUS FUNDING ALLOTMENT DETERMINED?

The funding per campus is determined by TEA based upon whether the school is in a rural or non-rural area and based upon the campus’s percentage of economically disadvantaged students. For a detailed visual explanation, please go to the Allotment Funding Interactive Map.To access the funding levels for each campus in BISD, please access BISD School TIA Values.

Logistics/Teacher Designations & Eligibility:

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A DESIGNATED TEACHER TO GENERATE ANNUAL ALLOTMENT FUNDING?

Requirements are:

The teacher must have a valid SBEC certificate. Eligible types of certificate include: Standard, Professional, Provisional.
The teacher must be coded as 087 (Teacher) per the Public Education Information
The teacher must have been employed and compensated for a creditable year of service, which is defined in PEIMS as 90 days at 100% of the day (equivalent to four and one-half months or a full semester) or 180 days required at 50-99% of the day

CAN INTERVENTIONISTS OR INCLUSION TEACHERS EARN DESIGNATIONS?

This will depend on how a teacher is coded in district PEIMS reporting. Role ID 087 includes teachers of record, assistant teachers, and support teachers. Interventionists, reading specialists, inclusion teachers, etc. are generally coded as 087. Districts must check with their PEIMS specialists and payroll personnel to ensure that teachers meet eligibility requirements before submitting them for designation.

WHAT IF A DESIGNATED TEACHER MOVES TO A NON-TEACHING ROLE, SUCH AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, COUNSELOR, OR ADMINISTRATOR?

Designated teachers who move to a Role ID other than 087 will maintain their designation. However they will not generate annual allotment funding if they are not in a 087 teaching role for that year of service.

ARE DESIGNATIONS ATTACHED TO A PARTICULAR GRADE LEVEL OR SUBJECT AREA?

Unlike certificates, designations are general. The designation will be placed on the teacher’s SBEC certificate and will not specify a certification area or subject/grade level. A teacher may change teaching assignments and will still generate allotment funding. The same applies to National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs).

WHAT IF A DESIGNATED TEACHER’S PERFORMANCE LEVEL CHANGES WITHIN THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD? CAN THEIR DESIGNATION LEVEL CHANGE?

Teacher designations are valid for five years. Within the five year period, teachers may be put forth for a higher designation if their performance qualifies them, but they cannot be submitted for a lower designation. Some district spending plans may include variability based on continued performance levels.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FIVE-YEAR DESIGNATION EXPIRES?

Designated teachers who meet performance standards and district qualifications can be put forth for a new designation in their final year of designation. Once the designation expires, it will be removed from the SBEC certificate and allotment funding will no longer be generated.

WILL EACH SCHOOL BE LIMITED AS TO THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO CAN ATTAIN THE DESIGNATION?

While there isn’t a limit to the number of teachers eligible for the TIA, the TIA system, as developed by the State, is intended to honor the top 30% in the state as Recognized, the top 15% as Exemplary and the top 5% as Master Teachers. Note that this is the percentage recognized at the state level and thus may not be the exact percentage at a campus or a district.

HOW WILL THE DISTRICT DETERMINE WHICH TEACHERS RECEIVE THE DESIGNATION?

The state mandates that Teacher Observation and Student Growth or Performance be utilized to determine TIA designations. In addition, other components may be considered. A committee of teachers utilized the data you provided from the first survey and determined that additional components would be considered.
The district is currently planning for the T-TESS component to comprise 30% of the score, Student Growth 60%, and Attendance 10% for all eligible teachers.

DO TEACHERS HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT?

TIA metrics will be calculated for ALL teachers in BISD. The name of any BISD teacher who meets the criteria for recognition will be submitted to Texas Tech University as part of the data validation process. Once the state approves, teachers will be notified of their TIA designation. A teacher may choose not to accept that designation.

DOES A TEACHER HAVE TO REAPPLY EVERY YEAR?

Once earned, the designation is placed on a teacher’s certification and is valid for 5 years. During that time, scores will continue to be calculated for ALL BISD teachers and used to determine if their designation can be raised to a higher level.

DOES A TEACHER HAVE TO BE DESIGNATED AS A RECOGNIZED TEACHER BEFORE MOVING TO THE EXEMPLARY AND/OR MASTER TEACHER LEVEL?

No. Cut scores will be established by the district for each of the three levels of distinction. A teacher will enter the TIA at any of the three levels based on where their scores fall based on the provided formula using the following components: T-TESS Scores, Student Growth, and the Attendance Factor.

IF A TEACHER EARNS A RECOGNIZED DESIGNATION IN 2022-2023, DO THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT DESIGNATION FOR 5 YEARS BEFORE EARNING AN EXEMPLARY OR MASTER TEACHER DESIGNATION?

No. If a teacher meets the criteria for one year and then meets the criteria for a higher ranking in subsequent years, the teacher will be moved to the higher designation. (Ex. Teacher A earns a Recognized ranking in 2022-2023 and receives TIA funding at the Recognized level in 2023-2024 for that campus. This teacher would remain on this level for 5 years unless new data is identified that would qualify them for designation at another tier. Let’s say in 2023-2024, with new data, the teacher now meets the Exemplary level criteria. The teacher would move to the Exemplary level in 2024-2025 and this new designation would then apply for 5 years unless they once again qualified for a higher level.

WILL A TEACHER EVER BE MOVED DOWN THE LEVELS?

A teacher will not move down a level or be removed from a TIA designation during the 5 year period in which the designation is earned. Teachers may move up the designation levels but will NOT be moved down during the 5 years for which they qualify. Disclaimer: Since this initiative is funded 100% by the State of Texas, BISD will only be able to fund TIA designations as long as the state continues to provide that funding. Should the legislature discontinue funding, BISD would also have to discontinue funding.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF A TEACHER’S 5 YEAR DESIGNATION?

As per state guidelines, at the end of the 5 years, the teacher must once again go through the process to qualify for the Teacher Incentive Allotment.

ARE NON-CORE TEACHERS (FINE ARTS, SPECIAL ED, CTE, ETC.) ELIGIBLE FOR THE TIA?

Yes. BISD is committed to the goal of putting ALL teachers on the path to earn a TIA designation. However, as we shared in the initial TIA presentation, we may see a phased-in approach, with some grades and/or subject areas coming on board at various times.

National Board Certification:

WHAT IS NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION?

The National Board Certification process is designed to collect standards- based evidence of accomplished practice. In all 25 certificate areas, candidates for National Board Certification must complete four components: three portfolio entries, submitted online, and a computer-based assessment, which is administered at a testing center.

Computer-based assessment
- Component 1: Content Knowledge
Portfolio entries
- Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction
- Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment
- Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner

Learn more about the National Board Certification by clicking on the link.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION AND THE TIA?

National Board Certification is a designation teachers across the United States can obtain. Once the certification is earned, it can be transferred anywhere in the nation. The Teacher Incentive Allotment is a program initiated under HB3 by the State of Texas. As such, the designations earned can be transferred across districts only in the state of Texas.

WILL EARNING A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION AUTOMATICALLY EARN A TEACHER THE RECOGNIZED DESIGNATION?

Yes

WILL THE DISTRICT PROVIDE ANY MONETARY ASSISTANCE TO TEACHERS WISHING TO PURSUE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION?

Brazosport ISD will support teachers seeking their National Board Certification by reimbursing their program costs after each module. ($475)
Reimbursement is contingent upon serving in BISD for three years upon completion of the program. If the participating teacher leaves before the three years, the district will recoup the reimbursed funds at the rate of $633 per year.
Teachers are required to disclose if they receive any other funding assistance from other state entities.

Student Growth:

WHY IS BISD CONSIDERING THE USE OF STUDENT GROWTH?

Student performance or student growth is one of the two required components of the Teacher Incentive Allotment and MUST be part of the calculation in determining which teachers are designated as Recognized, Exemplary and Master.

WHY WILL BISD UTILIZE STUDENT GROWTH INSTEAD OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE?

With student performance, there are variables that cannot be controlled. For example, one teacher may teach all Advance Placement (AP) courses while another may be assigned a caseload working with on or below level students. This would cause concerns with the verification of the system being reliable and valid. With student growth, reliable and valid statistical measures are utilized to mitigate the variance in teaching assignments. Therefore, BISD will utilize a growth measure for the Student Performance/Student Growth component of the TIA.

HOW WILL STUDENT GROWTH BE MEASURED?

STAR Renaissance has a valid and reliable growth measure and has been chosen as what we use to determine student growth for Math and Reading. All teachers who teach Math and Reading assessed with STAR Renaissance will utilize that growth measure.

WHAT STUDENT GROWTH MEASURES CAN BE UTILIZED FOR NON-CORE SUBJECTS?

The district is working with staff to determine the most appropriate measure(s) to accurately assess student growth in non-core classes.

Teacher Observation:

WHAT IS THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS APPRAISING WITH THE T-TESS INSTRUMENT?

All administrators who appraise teachers were provided three days of training with Region IV certified instructors. At the end of this training, all participants were required to participate in a certification test in order to earn their credentials as a certified T-TESS appraiser. Five Assistant Superintendents also attended the training and hold valid T-TESS credentials. This state-wide certification exam must be taken and passed annually for at least the first three years an appraiser utilizes the T-TESS appraisal system.

HOW WILL THE DISTRICT ENSURE THAT TEACHER OBSERVATION DATA IS RELIABLE AND VALID?

All district appraisers are participating in calibration exercises. At the district level, administrators are watching videos and scoring them using the T-TESS rubric. Scores are then submitted to the district and areas for growth are determined. These areas help determine the focus for future professional development and growth at both the district or campus level.

Attendance:

HOW WILL THE DISTRICT EVALUATE TEACHER ATTENDANCE?

If a teacher is absent ten or less days, the teacher will receive full credit. If a teacher is out more than ten days, the teacher will receive no credit. Please note, FMLA related absences are excluded.