Teacher Incentive Allotment

To be eligible for participation in the Teacher Incentive Allotment designation system, teachers must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a teacher (coded as 087 in PEIMS).
• Must be in an eligible teaching assignment.
• Must be a certified teacher.
• Must have completed a full T-TESS observation cycle.
• Must be employed for at least 50% of the school year (equivalent to 4.5 months or a full semester).
• Full-time employees must complete 90 full days on a 180-day calendar.
• Part-time employees must complete 180 partial days on a 180-day calendar (at least 50% of the day).

Performance standards are used to determine cut points for designations. Performance standards for T-TESS observations and student growth are as follows: 

T-TESS accounts for 50% of the designation score. Student growth accounts for 50%.

Acknowledged is a new designation for 2025-26. 

To qualify for a particular designation level, a teacher must meet the minimum threshold in each component for that level. For example, to qualify for Recognized, a teacher must earn 74% of the points possible in Domains 2 & 3 in T-TESS AND at least 55% of his/her students must meet growth goals.

The table below reflects the estimated 2026-27 allotment values released by TEA in September 2026 on the TIA Funding Map. These values will be updated with final figures once they are released by TEA, anticipated in April 2027.

Data is collected every year for all teachers. When being submitted for a new or higher designation, the process follows the timeline listed below.

Data Collection Year:

• Student growth data is collected throughout the school year. The first round of testing is done at the beginning of the year (BOY) in September, and the end of year (EOY) testing is done in May. For some subjects, there is a mid-year (MOY) test.
• T-TESS data is also collected throughout the year. 

Data Validation & Designation Award Year (the next school year):

• In October, the combined data set (teacher T-TESS scores and student growth) for the previous school year is submitted.
• October – February: Texas Tech and TIA run statistical analyses of the data set to determine validity of data set.
• In February, TEA releases data validation report, and districts verify designations.
• In April, TEA releases final allotment amounts for the new and continuing designations.
• In May or June (depending on when TEA releases amounts), the first allotment payment is made.
• In August, upon returning to school for the next year, the second allotment payment is made.

Example:

Data for 2025-26 was submitted in October of 2026.  In February 2027, we will receive our validation report. If all goes well, teachers will be notified of their new designations in February. The amount of the allotment will be published in April of 2027, and the first payments for the 2025-26 allotment will be made in May or June.

Distribution of Funds

• 75% of the allotment is distributed to designated teachers.
• 15% of the allotment is distributed at the campus level.
• 10% of the allotment is retained at the district level.

The district is required to ensure that at least 90 percent of all TIA funds received are distributed to classroom teachers and paraprofessionals who work directly with students.

All TIA payments are subject to applicable payroll deductions, including federal income tax and Teacher Retirement System (TRS) contributions.

Designated Teachers

Designated teachers will receive 75 percent of TIA funds as direct stipends, distributed in two equal payments.

• First payment (50%): Paid during the first pay cycle following TEA’s release of updated allotment amounts. This is typically expected in May but may be delayed until June if the information is released later than anticipated.
   
• Second payment (50%): Paid in August if the teacher either:
  • Returns for the following school year, or
  • Retires from service.
     

If a teacher does not meet either of these criteria, the remaining funds will be reallocated to the campus where the teacher worked.

If a teacher leaves mid-contract, the full allotment will be redirected to the campus.

A teacher may request that the Board of Trustees determine whether the separation occurred for good cause. If good cause is determined, the teacher will receive 50%of the allotment upon separation, and the remaining 50% will be reallocated to the campus.

If a teacher leaves the district over the summer for reasons other than retirement, the remaining funds will be reallocated to the campus where the teacher worked.

If a teacher leaves mid-contract, the full allotment will be redirected to the campus.

A teacher may request that the Board of Trustees determine whether the separation occurred for good cause. If good cause is determined, the teacher will receive 50%of the allotment upon separation, and the remaining 50% will be reallocated to the campus.

The designation will follow the teacher. Their new district will receive an allotment for them at the end of the following year. The amount and distribution of funds will depend on the spending plan of the new district.

Certified classroom teachers and paraprofessionals who work directly with students are eligible to receive campus allotment funds. The size of each campus allotment is based on the number of designated teachers assigned to the campus.

Fifteen percent of the total TIA funds associated with each designated teacher are allocated for campus use. This amount may increase if a designated teacher leaves the district and their remaining funds are redirected to the campus.

Allocation Procedure

STEP 1:

Compensation for eligible staff (non-designated teachers and instructional aides working directly with students) at the campus of designated teacher(s) who meet requirements (at least 50% of the time for 180 days or 99% of the time for a semester (90 days), meeting professional responsibility expectations, and full evaluation cycle) will be eligible to receive funds from the 15% campus allotment as a retention bonus. All eligible non-designated teachers and aides will share equally in the 15% shared campus allotment pool, up to a maximum of $2,500 per person. Non-designated eligible staff who have responsibilities on more than one campus will have their bonus prorated based on the percentage of time assigned to each campus.

A staff member’s bonus may be reduced by a percentage deduction for each professional responsibility expectation that is not met, including:

1. Meeting all TIA designation requirements, including completing all required testing within prescribed windows and submitting all required paperwork by established deadlines (teachers only).
2. Meeting all district deadlines for submitting grades (teachers only).
3. Participation in all required professional development (teachers and aides).
4. Received an acceptable performance review (aides).

STEP 2:

If funds remain after the Step 1 distribution, teachers who are new to Baird ISD and who are legally authorized to serve as teacher of record in their assigned subject area under Texas Education Code §21.003 (for example, fully certified teachers assigned within their certification area and teachers actively enrolled in an approved alternative certification program for their assigned subject area) will be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $1,000.

STEP 3: 

If any funds remain after Steps 1 and 2, those funds will be divided equally among all designated teachers on the campus. There is no cap on residual distributions to designated teachers.

The 10 percent of TIA funds retained at the district level will be used to:

• Purchase programs used for pre-/post-testing, 
• Purchase programs for student remediation and growth support, 
• Provide professional development opportunities for teachers. 
• Purchase a digital recording platform program to help appraisers provide accurate and consistent ratings across the district. 
• Provide a stipend to the TIA Coordinator for program support.