AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced Tuesday over $290 million in Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) funds were awarded to nearly 25,000 designated Texas teachers during the 2023-24 school year.
TEA said 481 school systems participated in the TIA program, and 306 of them were fully approved to grant teacher designations. To gain full approval, these school systems had to go through a “comprehensive” application process that assessed “data from classroom observations and student academic growth,” the release said.
The TIA program’s goal is to retain top teachers in Texas and offer them a chance to earn up to six-figure salaries, the release said.
According to a recent TEA study from the 2023-24 school year, the retention rate for designated teachers was eight percentage points higher than the statewide average.
Teachers have been working together. The things our designated teachers are doing in their classes, non-designated teachers are modeling. It’s been a great benefit for our teachers and our kids.
Martinsville ISD Principal Keith Martin said in the release
There are currently 17 school districts and/or charter school systems in Central Texas participating in TIA, according to the release. TEA estimated around 600 districts will be involved in the program next school year.