Texas Legislature in 2019 and signed into law. This legislation established an optional Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) with a stated goal to reward, retain, and recruit effective teachers in the classroom. Through the TIA, teachers can earn one of four designations: Acknowledged, Recognized, Exemplary, and Master. These designations generate supplemental compensation in addition to the district’s compensation plan.
There are two pathways to earning a designation:
- National Board Certification
- Local Designation System
By statute, the amount of the allotment generated by teacher designations is dependent upon the designation level of the teacher, the socio-economic status of the campus where the teacher serves as well as the rural status of the campus. The TIA is designed to reward the top 50% of teachers across the state of Texas. See TIA Funding Map page for more details.
Master Teacher
The Master Teacher designation indicates that the teacher has achieved a performance level (on teacher observation and student growth) that places them in a level commensurate to the top 5% of teachers across the state.
Exemplary Teacher
The Exemplary Teacher designation indicates that the teacher has achieved a performance level (on teacher observation and student growth) that places them in a level commensurate to the top 20% of teachers across the state.
Recognized Teacher
The Recognized Teacher designation indicates that the teacher has achieved a performance level (on teacher observation and student growth) that places them in a level commensurate to the top 33% of teachers across the state.
Acknowledged Teacher
The Acknowledged Teacher designation indicates the teacher has achieved a performance level (on teacher observation and student growth) that places them in a level commensurate of the top 50% of teachers across the state.
National Board Certification
National Board Certification is a voluntary advanced professional certification for PreK-12 educators that identify teaching expertise through performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment. Teachers are certified based on standards set by the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards.