At Great Hearts Texas, we are continually looking for ways to make our work more rewarding in terms of the culture and camaraderie we build through our actions every day and of each employee receiving the professional opportunities they deserve.
What Is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program, a state initiative that enables strong teachers to earn extra pay. TIA was created by the Texas Legislature as part of House Bill 3 to provide a realistic pathway for top teachers to earn higher salaries and to help attract and retain highly effective teachers at traditionally hard-to-staff schools. TIA recognizes effective teachers on three different levels: Recognized, Exemplary and Master. These teacher designations generate additional funding for districts in order for them to reward their top performers.
TIA is an opportunity to do three things: First, to assess the potential to gain access to additional funds to pay teachers. Second, to remain competitive with other school districts that are opting into the program and can thereby offer more to some of their most successful teachers. And finally, gaining entry into the program will potentially give us greater flexibility in meeting tutoring requirements for students who struggle with STAAR exams.
Creating The Right Teacher Evaluation Framework for Great Hearts
A successful adoption of the TIA for Great Hearts Texas will involve creating a teacher evaluation system that reinforces our culture and our values. In the end, we will own this initiative. It will be Great Hearts teachers and administrators who will drive any evaluation system, and it will be Great Hearts that develops the system and gives it life.
Our primary focus at this time is crafting an approach to the program that aligns with our core principles, philosophy, and culture.
Where We Are In the Process
A major component of TIA is the evaluation framework. Our plan is to pilot an evaluation system that is compatible with state requirements but that matches our culture and values. Once we are comfortable with that system, we would then formally apply this Spring and then, if approved, begin a Great Hearts Texas-wide implementation plan next year.
There are eight headmasters who have volunteered to use a preliminary evaluation framework during the current school year. This group meets monthly with the project team to provide feedback and input from their experience with the evaluation system.
We are also engaging with faculty members to join our planning committee and will gather faculty input. One step in gathering that input has been the Foodside chats we have been hosting with teachers across the network to help faculty learn more about the program and provide feedback.
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