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Understanding TIA

Understanding the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA)

Region 14 ESC — Simplified guide for teachers, principals, and district leads.

  • 1) What is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?

    The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) is a statewide program designed to recognize and reward highly effective teachers. Funds are generated based on teacher performance and student growth and are distributed annually to eligible districts.

    Goal
    Attract & retain highly effective teachers
    Goal
    Reward teachers for excellence & student impact
    Goal
    Support equitable access to effective teaching across Texas
    How it works: Effective teaching → earns a designation (Acknowledged, Recognized, Exemplary, or Master) → results in increased pay through TIA funding → promotes retention.

     

  • 2) Designation Levels

    Designation Approx. Statewide Percentile Typical Annual Allotment Range*
    Acknowledged Top 50% of teachers $3,000 – $9,000
    Recognized Top 33% 53,000 – $15,000
    Exemplary Top 20% $9,000 – $25,000
    Master Top 5% $12,000 – $36,000
    *Varies by campus socioeconomic level and rural status per TEA’s funding formula.

  • 3) How Designations Are Earned

    • T-TESS overall rating (Domains 2 & 3)
    • Student growth measure
    • District reliability & validity requirements

    Teachers must meet state performance standards below (or locally approved equivalents).

  • 4) State Performance Level Benchmarks

    A. T-TESS Performance Levels

    Rating Description Typical Domain Average
    Distinguished Consistently exceeds expectations 4.5–5.0
    Accomplished Frequently exceeds expectations 3.8–4.4
    Proficient Meets expectations 3.0–3.7
    Developing / Improvement Needed Below expectations Below 3.0

    B. State Performance Benchmarks for TIA Designations

    Designation Average T-TESS Score Range* % of students who met or exeeded growth targets
    Acknowledged 3.5-3.6 50%
    Recognized 3.7 – 3.8 55%
    Exemplary 3.9 – 4.4 60%
    Master 4.5 – 5.0 70%

    *Exact cut scores vary by district and must align with approved system calibration. 

    *Minimum of 3 on all observable dimensions for Domains 2 and 3.

  • 5) Student Growth Measures

    • STAAR Transition Tables
    • Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)
    • Pre/Post-Test or District Assessments
    • Portfolios or Performance Tasks (for non-tested subjects)

  • 6) Teacher Requirements

    Requirement Description
    Assignment Serve in a qualifying teaching role / service ID
    Performance Valid T-TESS and student growth data
    Certification Active Texas certification  (District Determined)
    Data Accuracy Confirm roster accuracy before submission
    District Participation Be in an approved TIA system district
    • Complete T-TESS evaluations
    • Verify rosters for accuracy
    • Understand local growth measures
    • Maintain certification and role consistency

    Example: A 5th-grade Math teacher’s T-TESS average is 4.2 and 82% of students met or exceeded growth → qualifies for the Exemplary level.

  • 7) Principal Responsibilities

    Task Description
    Implement T-TESS Conduct reliable, calibrated observations
    Verify Rosters Confirm teacher–student link accuracy
    Support Teachers Provide clarity on growth & data
    Campus Review Approve campus-level submissions
    Communicate Results Share designations & funding impacts

  • 8) TIA Lead / District Coordinator Role

    Area Responsibilities
    System Management Maintain TEA-approved local designation system
    Data Oversight Collect, validate, and submit TIA data
    Calibration Ensure reliability across campuses
    Submission Upload data during TEA submission window
    Communication Notify staff of results & funding
    Continuous Improvement Update system based on TEA feedback
    High-Level Timeline
    Phase Date Description
    System Application Posted November (annual) TEA posts the application for districts to apply.
    System Application Due to TEA April 15 (annual) District submits system application.
    System Application Results August (annual) TEA notifies districts.
    Data-Capture Year Following school year Teachers’ observation & growth data collected.
    Data Submission Due Mid-October (after data-capture) District submits data for validation.
    Final System Approval February TEA (or its agent) completes review.
    Initial Designations & Allotments April Teachers may be designated; initial allotments established.
    Annual Program Submission Late August District submits annual program report/certification.
    Approved Districts Receive Payout September Funds flow through FSP to district.
    Renewal Application Due April (several years later) District applies for renewal.

  • 9) Funding & Allotment Details

    • Allotments are funded annually by TEA and distributed to districts.
    • At least 90% of funds must be used for teacher compensation.
    • Funding is adjusted for campus socioeconomic status and rural status.
    • Acknowledged teacher (urban campus): ≈ $3,000
    • Master teacher (rural, high-poverty campus): ≈ $35,000+

  • 10) Weighting Models & Local Impact Examples

    A. Common District Weighting Models
    Model T-TESS Weight Student Growth Weight Notes
    State-Default Emphasis 50% 50% Balanced, aligns with state benchmarks
    Growth-Focused 35% 65% Prioritizes measurable student impact
    Instruction-Focused 65% 35% Heavier weight on instructional practice
    B. Comparing Two District Weighting Systems
    Teacher T-TESS Avg % Meeting Growth District A (50/50) District B (35/65)
    Teacher 1 4.4 70% 2.70 2.96
    Teacher 2 3.9 90% 2.95 3.19

    Interpretation: Under a growth-heavy model, Teacher 2’s high growth can raise the overall score more than under a balanced model.

Region 14 ESC TIA Support

Our team partners with districts at every stage of the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) process—from system design and calibration to data submission and renewal.

Consultation
Technical assistance for districts & campuses
Templates
Data collection & validation tools
Reviews
System design reviews & feedback
Training
Workshops for TIA teams
T-TESS Calibration
Calibration support for campus appraisers

Contact Us

For general TIA support, email tia@esc14.net.

Name Role Email Phone
Jaime Tindall TIA Program Lead jtindall@esc14.net (325) 675-8644
Stephanie Hammer TIA Consultant shammer@esc14.net (325) 675-7018
John Lally TIA Consultant & Data Analyst jlally@esc14.net (325) 675-8667
Kimberly Brumley TIA Consultant • T-TESS Calibration kbrumley@esc14.net (325) 675-7051
Michael Cano Principal/Superintendent ACP & TIA Consultant mcano@esc14.net (325) 675-7029