- Pflugerville Independent School District
- Teacher Incentive Allotment Committee
Teacher Incentive Allotment Committee
-
Latest TIA Communication
April 6, 2021
Dear Pflugerville ISD Teachers & Staff,
I would like first to thank all our teachers and staff who completed the survey conducted by our TIA Committee. This data was beneficial and provided information some of the subcommittees needed to complete their portion of our TIA Committee's charge to construct a potential TIA Designation System for PfISD.
In reviewing the data from this survey, the TIA Committee has determined that a weighted system of 60% Student Growth, 30% Teacher Observation, and 10% Optional Components would best suit a potential PfISD TIA Designation System.
Three Optional Components received a lot of support from the survey: Teacher Leadership (57%), Teacher Attendance (60%), and Student Experience surveys (42%). Based on this feedback, the Committee recommends that Domain 4 scores be included under Optional Components along with Student Experience Survey responses. Again, Optional Components are only weighted at 10% of a teacher's total TIA rating.
Approximately 20% of respondents said they supported the Shared Teacher option. About 45% supported the Designated Teacher only option, and more than 34% said they would support whatever the Committee recommends. Those numbers made it clear to the Committee that awarding the designated teacher and not dividing up a small portion to other teachers was the staff's desire.
Districts are allowed to hold a portion of the overall allotment for district use, such as professional development opportunities and program costs. The PfISD TIA Committee has decided to go with a 90%-10% model, giving the awarded teacher 90% of the allotment and holding 10% for professional learning and TIA program administrative costs (i.e., cost associated with the Panorama Student Experience survey platform). The survey showed overwhelmingly that this was the option our employees supported with more than 85% of the votes.
I believe the Committee's decisions to go with a 90%-10% stipend distribution and the 60%-30%-10% weighted plan fall in line with our teachers' and staff members' desires.
While the final decision to apply for a PfISD TIA system has not been made, the Committee was tasked with thoroughly investigating TIA and determining if it could fit within our District's mission and ultimately increase our teacher's compensation options. The Committee's final step is to present the plan to our teachers and solicit feedback before making a final recommendation to me.
If you have any questions about TIA, please visit our PfISD TIA website: https://www.pfisd.net/Page/8094. The Committee will update this site as more information becomes available.
The TIA Committee would like more feedback from our teachers and staff and has created a second survey. This survey will gauge your support for PfISD’s plan (the details of the plan are included in the survey) and help the Committee with its final recommendation to me. The deadline to complete this survey is April 13. Here is a link to the PfISD TIA Committee Second Survey: https://forms.gle/Aohw1hyWWiwuimyr6.
Please review the information contained in the survey closely and provide us with your feedback as this will weigh into the District’s final decision of whether to implement the TIA system in PfISD. The survey will close on April 13.
If you are unfamiliar with TIA, I invite you to please watch this 30-minute video from the TEA that explains TIA in detail to learn a little more: https://youtu.be/Q1no6VQ6a2A
Thank you for taking the time to read this message and for completing this critical survey. Your feedback is crucial in helping our TIA Committee understand our teachers' views on TIA and how to build a model that best fits our District.
Sincerely,
Brandy Baker
Chief Academic and Innovation Officer
Pflugerville ISDTIA Committee Members & Chairs
Brandy Baker: TIA Committee Co-Chair
Willie Watson: TIA Committee Co-Chair
Alma Gonzalez-Castillo: Observations & Calibration Co-Chair
John O’Hare: Observations & Calibration Co-Chair
Holly Galloway: Student Growth & Optional Components Co-Chair
Karen Shah: Student Growth & Optional Components Co-Chair
Trana Allen: TIA Calculations & Designations Co-Chair
Brian Dawson: TIA Calculations & Designations Co-Chair
Jeffri Orosco: Budget, TIA Compensation Plan Chair
Eduardo Ramos: Budget, TIA Compensation Support
Rachel Mackey: System Development & District Support Chair
David Wiechmann: Communications ChairSubcommittee Members
- Observations & Calibration: Barry Miller, Dina Schaefer, Ameka Hunt, Jesus Olivas, Mario Ramos, Laura Brown, Natasha Drumgoole
- Student Growth & Optional Components: Pamela Brown-Ledet, Paula McNamer, Meaghan Regier, Georgie Arenaz, Amanda Sramek, Rachel Roepke
- TIA Calculation & Designations: Hutcherson Hill, Andre Underwood, Michelle Peterson, Gloria Cruz-Gauna, Hoda Mohamed, Katie Holding, Nicole Urbach
- Communications: Zachary Kleypas, Lauren Wright, Jennifer Fleischman, Kathryn Blankenship, Meagan Pike Dean, Rebecca Cohen
- TIA System Development & District Support: Tana Ruckel, Lacey Ajibola, Paula Gamble, Shannon Pourmanafzadeh, Melissa Dobrenel, Joy Smith, Bridgette Arnold, Teea Robinson, Elizabeth Waldrop, Melissa Brydson, Tracy Stephens
- Budget & TIA Compensation Plan: Christy Fox, Jorge Franco, Daniel Garcia, Trana Allen, Gracie Lopez, Kris Reyes, Willie Watson, Veronica Jimenez, Frank Muir
FAQs
-
What is TIA?
HB 3 established the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) to recognize effective teachers on three different levels, Recognized, Exemplary, and Master. These teacher designations generate additional teacher-focused allotment funding for districts in order for them to reward their top performers.
Teachers earn designations through two different routes. First, National Board Certified teachers are eligible to earn a Recognized designation. Second, districts may designate their effective teachers when they are approved for a local teacher designation system. The approval process is multi-step and includes the submission of a system application to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and then a data validation process through Texas Tech University.
Any teacher eligible based on a district's TIA Designation System that has received National Board Certification will automatically earn a Recognized designation for having achieved National Board Certification. That does not mean a nationally certified teacher is not eligible for Exemplary or Master status, it just means they are automatically eligible for at least the lowest amount of allotment in the Designation System.
-
How many districts in Texas are already participating in TIA?
More than 300 districts either currently have a TIA Designation System in place or are exploring such a program. Districts are divided into "cohorts" based on the year they began the process.
PfISD is considered part of Cohort D among districts exploring or implementing a system that would begin its Year 1 (Data Collection Year) in the 2021-22 academic year. There are approximately 200 other districts in Cohort D with PfISD.
Cohort A & B has 26 districts in 2019-20. Cohort C has 82 districts and implemented their systems in 2020-21.
42 districts across the state of Texas have already implemented TIA Designation Program or are in the process of doing so.
-
When would TIA go into effect for PfISD?
A TIA Designation System would go into effect in phases with the 2021-22 academic year serving as a "data collection year." This would be a year with the designation program's evaluation tools in place and implemented in order to provide data that it is effective in designating teachers within the system.
During the data collection year, the TIA Designation System would be fully in effect for the "Year 1" campuses and teachers in 2021-22. "Year 2" would then be the 2022-23 academic year and the system would be fully in effect at all campuses for eligible teachers. Any other categories of teachers added to the system would be added in Year 3 (2023-24).
-
Who is eligible for TIA?
Anyone who is coded as a classroom teacher in PEIMS is eligible for a TIA Designation. However, which teachers are considered for the program is dependent on each district and the categories or criteria the district chooses to include in its Designation System.
The TEA requires that:
- The teacher must have a valid SBEC certificate. Eligible types of certificate include: Standard, Professional, Provisional. Eligible classes of certificates include: Classroom Teacher (Chapter 233), Reading Specialist (Chapter 239), Legacy Master Teacher http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/sbecrules/tac/index.html
- The teacher must be coded as 087 (Teacher) per the Public Education Information
Management System (PEIMS) description of codes for 90 days at 100% of the day (equivalent to four and one-half months or a full semester) or 180 days required at 50-99% of the day and compensated for that employment.
Currently, PfISD's plan includes the following teacher categories in its Designation System for Year 1.
- Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade
- Grades 2-8 Reading & Math
- 9th Grade English I & Algebra I
-
What is the districts plan for the allocation of the funds?
The district's TIA Committee has created a spending plan to present to the Board for required approval. The plan follows the statutory requirements in which at least 90% of the funds must be spent on the campus of the designated teacher.
PfISD's allocation gives 90% of the allotment to the teacher who earns a designation of Recognized, Exemplary or Master. The other 10% will be used by the District for administrative costs associated with maintaining the designation system, contributions to TRS and professional development on the awarded teacher's campus.
Funding for teachers designated as Recognized, Exemplary, and Master under TIA will flow to districts, which in turn must spend at least 90% of the funds on teacher compensation on the campuses where the designated teachers work. The statute states that allotment funds are not considered a property right. During the system review process, districts will submit their spending and communication plans for TEA review.
TEC Section 48.114 (i)(1)(A): A district shall annually certify that funds received under this section were used as follows: At least 90% of each allotment received was used for the compensation of teachers employed at the campus at which the teacher for whom the district received the allotment is employed.
-
How long does a TIA Designation last for a teacher?
TIA Designations are good for 5 years, at which time teachers who meet eligibility for renewal can be automatically submitted by the district for consideration by the state.
Teachers earning a TIA Designation of Recognized, Exemplary or Master will receive their designated stipend for 5 years. Their designation moves with the teacher from campus to campus or to another district should they move campuses or districts until that 5-year period expires.
If a teacher were to receive another designation during their 5-year period, their clock would essentially reset and start a new 5-year countdown of eligibility to receive their TIA allotment.
-
Why are Specials/Electives/Coaches not included in the initial plan?
The TIA requires the teacher to hold a valid state certificate and to be serving in a position as a teacher of record for students. In addition, there is a rigorous two-step application process for districts to be able to designate teachers. This includes 1.) a system review by TEA, as well as 2.) a data validation process conducted by Texas Tech University. In order to ensure PfISD is successful in earning the ability to submit teachers for designation, we are pursuing a phased-in approach. We are beginning with a limited number of teachers serving in grades and subjects that already have established valid and reliable growth measures. PfISD is using the next year to thoughtfully develop the measures to possibly include other teaching assignments in the future.
-
Will elective teachers be eligible? If so, what does that rubric look like?
In the 2021-22 school year, the district's TIA Designation System currently would be to roll out eligible teacher categories of Pre-K through 1st grade, Grade 2-8 reading and math teachers, English I and Algebra I on the campuses designated for Year 1 status (Data Collection: 2021-22).
We plan to add focus groups of teachers throughout the 2021-22 school year in order to determine what a fair, accurate and rigorous system can look like for other teacher categories and to determine if they would be added in Year 2 (2022-23).
-
Can Specials Teachers earn Recognized designation if they are National Board Certified?
Yes, if they are already Nationally Board Certified, they will earn a Recognized designation.
-
What if I become a principal or AP after receiving a TIA designation?
The TIA is designed to recognize and reward high-performing teachers. As the TIA requires eligible teachers to be coded as classroom teachers by PEIMS, if a designated teacher were to move into an administrative role, they would lose their TIA designation and stipend.
-
Is it possible to move up from Recognized designation to a higher designation within 5 years?
Yes. You can move up levels within the TIA Designation System during your 5 years after receiving a designation. You are not "stuck" at your level of Recognized or Exemplary.
Should you receive an evaluation that would qualify you for a higher level within the system, you would then be re-designated at that higher level for 5 years.
Teachers also will not move down a level if they receive a "lower" designation according to the TIA Designation System. They would still receive their larger allotment for the remainder of their 5-year clock from their previous designation.
-
Are other staff eligible? Instructional coaches? Administrators? etc.?
No. The TIA Designation Program is meant to recognize classroom teachers only. Instructional coaches, librarians, administrators, counselors, etc. are not eligible.
To be eligible a teacher must be coded as Role ID 087 in district PEIMS reporting. Role ID 087 includes teachers of record, assistant teachers, and support teachers. Interventionists, reading specialists, inclusion teachers, etc. are generally coded as 087. Districts must check with their PEIMS specialists and payroll personnel to ensure that teachers meet eligibility requirements before submitting them for designation.
-
Can multiple teachers on my campus receive a designation? If so, is there a limit to how many?
Yes. Any teacher who receives a TIA designation of Recognized, Exemplary or Master will be eligible for the TIA funds associated with those corresponding designations, regardless of how many receive such designations per campus.
-
How do I know how much I qualify for?
When an allotment schedule is determined by the TIA Committee, it will be provided. Allotments are based on a teacher receiving one of three designations: Recognized, Exemplary, or Master.
Teacher designations have a base allotment. Recognized has a base allotment of $3,000. Exemplary is $6,000 and Master has a base of $12,000.
The TEA has more information and examples of how allotments may be calculated at this website: https://tiatexas.org/about-teacher-incentive-allotment/allotments/.
-
What happens if I leave PfISD to a district that doesn't have TIA?
Your designation as a TIA Recognized, Exemplary or Master teacher follows you to any other district you may be employed by for the remainder of the 5 years after receiving your designation. If a district you move to does not have its own TIA Designation System, you would still receive the stipend from the state as the funds are provided by the state and not the district.
Districts that employ teachers who have earned designations will receive funding for those teachers based on the TIA formula, even if the district does not have an approved designation system in place. For example, a district that does not have a designation system in place could employ a teacher that earned a designation in another district or a teacher who automatically earned a Recognized designation for having achieved National Board Certification. Districts will need to develop a plan for how to spend allotment dollars that they receive, in accordance with the rules of HB3.
-
How will administrators be trained to ensure the process is fair?
The District will calibrate with administrators in order to ensure a fair, accurate and rigorous observation system.
-
How soon will teachers have the list of expectations?
If PfISD chooses to move forward with a TIA Designation System, the parameters of the system that will be implemented will be provided to teachers and staff members when it is approved by district leadership and the Board approves the budget.
Any Designation System implemented by the District would not include many additional criteria asked of its educators that they do not already do. The system will be designed to evaluate and assess the work teachers are already doing on a day-to-day basis and measuring their students' growth.
-
How can I be sure the system is fair in regards to assessing student growth?
The Student Growth requirement is a growth measure and not a proficiency measure, so it is based on a teacher’s ability to have their students meet their growth target regardless of where that student is starting from.
-
Can we sustain this if the state stops funding it?
HB 3 was a fully-funded and approved legislative bill. It is expected to continue into the future.
-
If you don’t qualify for the incentive payment, how are you informed?
If the District pursues a TIA, there will be detailed guidance at the beginning of each school year explaining what the objective measures will be for us as a district to submit teachers for state designation. Part of this process will be transparent conversations with all staff members on their progress toward tracking the benchmarks for a designation.
-
What is the process if I do not agree with my administrator's evaluation of my performance regarding TIA?
The process of requesting a second review would be no different than the current evaluation process.
Resources
-
TEA Resources
- About TIA
- TIA Homepage
- TIA 3-Minute Guide
- TIA Overview
- FAQs (from TEA)
PfISD PRESENTATIONS
- Coming Soon
VIDEOS
Projected Campus Timeline
-
2021-22 Campuses
- Connally High School
- Copperfield Elementary School
- Delco Elementary School
- Dessau Elementary School
- Dessau Middle School
- Northwest Leadership Academy
- Parmer Lane Elementary School
- River Oaks Elementary School
- Ruth Barron Elementary School
- Westview Middle School
2022-23 Campuses
- All Remaining Campuses
Previous Communications
Projected Teacher Categories
-
Eligible Teachers: 2021-22
- Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Grade
- Math & Reading: Grades 2-8
- Algebra I
- English I
Eligible Teachers: 2022-23
- Additional categories TBD
Committee Members
Showing results for "Professor named Smith at Elementary School" |
- Brandy Baker
- Willie Watson
- Trana Allen
- Brian Dawson
- Alma Gonzalez
- John O'Hare
- Holly Galloway
- Karen Shah
- Rachel Mackey
- Jeffri Orosco
- Eduardo Ramos
- David Wiechmann