The Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) was created by the Texas Legislature through House Bill 3 to recognize and reward outstanding educators. Through an approved Local Designation System, Taft ISD identifies highly effective teachers using multiple measures of performance, including classroom observation and student growth.

The Teacher Incentive Allotment provides a pathway for outstanding classroom teachers to earn state designations based on their instructional effectiveness. Teachers who earn a designation generate additional funding for the district, allowing Taft ISD to invest in educator compensation while strengthening recruitment and retention.

Taft ISD's Local Designation System has been approved by the Texas Education Agency and uses multiple measures to ensure fair, reliable, and rigorous evaluation of teacher performance.

Taft ISD's Local Designation System combines 60% Student Growth and 40% T-TESS Observation to calculate a teacher's effectiveness score. Eligible teachers are then reviewed through the district's local validation process before data is submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for official designation.

• Recognize highly effective educators.

• Recruit and retain exceptional teachers.

• Support continuous professional growth.

• Improve student achievement through effective instruction.

• Reward excellence while strengthening public education in Texas.

For 2025 Designations, 10 support teachers and 5 paraprofessionals also received funding from designation allotments.

Looking Ahead: The Acknowledged designation becomes available beginning with the 2026 designation year. Taft ISD looks forward to recognizing educators who earn this designation in future designation cycles.

For specific funding allotments for campuses or districts in the state of Texas, click on the TIA Funding Map for more information. Funding generated by a designated teacher is based on the teacher's designation and campus assignment at the time of the Winter Class Roster. The state formula also considers campus socioeconomic need and rural status.

Taft ISD's Teacher Incentive Allotment Spending Plan is designed to reward highly effective teachers and instructional staff while supporting the continued implementation and sustainability of the District's Local Designation System.

90%Teacher Compensation (75% Designated Teacher; 15% Instructional Support Staff)

At least 90% of the TIA allotment is used for compensation at the campus where the designated teacher and support staff are employed. Taft ISD distributes at minimum 75% of this portion to TIA-designated teachers. The other 15% of this allotment goes to instructional facing support staff in the classroom that supports the TIA designated teacher roster.

10% District Implementation & Support

Taft ISD retains 10% of the allotment to support implementation of the TIA system, including:

• Third-party assessments

• Onboarding and training new teachers & calibrating administrators

• Professional development and training designed to help teachers earn a designation

• Stipends towards non-teaching staff who support the TIA initiative and designated teachers

Annual Payments are issued by August 31. TIA compensation stipends are included in annual wages reported to TRS and are used in calculating retirement benefits, subject to TRS rules and regulations.

For more information, click on the Taft ISD TIA Guidebook.