The first 26 school districts announced in Teacher Incentive Allotment, benefitting over 3,600 Texas teachers

The first 26 districts approved for a Local Designation System as part of the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), were announced by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The Teacher Incentive Allotment paves a passage for teachers to earn a six-figure salary while enabling districts in rural and high-need areas for improvements on educator recruitment and retention, according to a TEA press release. These 26 districts will be allowed to implement an arrangement through their approved Local Designation System that rewards educators and creates success and equity in the classroom setting.

In spring 2020, interested districts were susceptible to a multi-step application process that reviewed their development of education plans, student measurements and stakeholder commitments. The 26 approved districts will designate roughly 3,650 teachers and create almost $40 million in additional funding.

“This is a game changer for us as a rural community. While a long process, it has been incredibly rewarding to see our teachers receive this recognition,” La Pryor Independent School District (ISD) Superintendent Matthew McHazlett said in the press release. “For our teachers to potentially get an additional $30 thousand per year that they didn’t expect over the next five years is potentially life-changing. It is huge for our kids to be in a classroom where the State of Texas has recognized a master teacher. It makes everyone have more pride in themselves and it makes people feel good about our community." 

Fruitvale Independent School District Superintendent Rebecca Bain said the district was happy for the Teacher Incentive Allotment because of the tools it would give a rural, high poverty school district. 

“Where teacher salaries are concerned, it can be difficult for a small district to compete with larger districts in regard to salary, even though our district is a wonderful place to work. The TIA gives us an opportunity to reward our successful teachers who are already doing great work increasing student success through growth in their classrooms. This will not only be a benefit for our current teachers but will help us acquire great teachers to work with our students in the future because of this opportunity the state is providing," she said in the press release.