Frequently Asked Questions

TIA was established with the goal of providing outstanding teachers an accessible pathway to a six-figure salary. Unlike previous education programs, the Teacher Incentive Allotment is not a grant.

Yes, it was approved by the board on March 12, 2026.

No. TIA is set up as an incentive-based compensation awarded to the highest performing teachers within a district.

No. Don't forget to check out the pathway of National Board Certification! All teachers who earn their certification will earn the recognized allotment value for their campus regardless of student growth and teacher observation scores.

National Board Certification is a voluntary, advanced professional certification for Pre-K-12 educators that identifies teaching expertise through a performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment. Teachers are certified based on standards set by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). NBPTS requires three years of experience as a certified teacher before registering as a candidate for National Board certification.

Classroom teachers who achieve National Board certifications may be designated as Acknowledged, even if their district does not have a local designation system. The designation will be awarded in the same school year in which they achieved National Board certification. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) must be listed in the NBCT DIRECTORY as a Texas teacher and have an active National Board certificate to be eligible for TIA.

Once the district passes TEA's data validation check for the 26-27 data capture year, the earliest a teacher could see a payment is July/August 2028 (2-year process).

No. Teachers cannot choose to opt-out of TIA. All teachers in the eligible teaching categories will have a formal observation and their students' growth data collected.

Pre-Kindergarten, K-6 Math and Reading, 6-8 Math and Reading, Algebra I, and English I.

The current growth measures include STAAR, NWEA MAP, Circle, and mCLASS.

Yes, this is the amazing part! TIA is focused on student growth, NOT achievement. Therefore, every student's growth targets will vary.

A designation is earned by a teacher after the district's data is validated. There are 4 designation levels - Acknowledged, Recognized, Exemplary, or Master. The designation appears as a badge on a teacher's teaching certificate. An allotment is state funding earned by the district for each teacher who has earned a designation. Teachers earn the designation, and the district receives the corresponding state funding, which is then used to support teacher compensation and district priorities.

You will be provided with professional development, as well as clear and comprehensive guidance regarding performance metrics and the overall TIA process.

Payments are TRS eligible; some rules apply if you are close to retirement on an increase in salary that exceeds 10%.

As long as you are coded 087 in PEIMS and teach students at least 50% of the time, the state-funded stipend flows to your campus and then to you for five years.