Pathways to Earn Designations
Participation in the Teacher Incentive Allotment program is strictly voluntary for eligible teachers who 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.
TEA has designated two pathways for teachers to earn designations as depicted in the graphic below. Districts have the option to locally develop or identify a system for designation high-performing teachers as Recognized, Exemplary, or Master. Districts that employ teachers with designations can receive up to $32,000 per year in TIA funding per designated teacher.
Designations are added to a teacher’s SBEC certificate and are valid for five years. If a teacher moves to a new district, the allotment funding follows the teacher to the new district regardless of whether the new district has an approved designation system in place.
Teachers with National Board Certification may be eligible to earn an automatic Recognized designation regardless of whether the district in which the teacher works is participating in TIA.
