Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has announced the allocation of over $481 million in Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) funds to more than 42,000 designated teachers in Texas for the 2024-25 school year.

"Teachers play a key role in the success of Texas students and our great state," stated Governor Abbott. He emphasized that this funding will allow thousands of teachers across Texas to receive a pay raise, potentially leading them towards earning a six-figure salary. Abbott also mentioned future plans for further investment in teachers, including permanent pay raises for experienced classroom educators. "With empowered parents, exemplary teachers, and exceptional academics, Texas is on a path to be No. 1 in educating our children."

Since its inception in 2019, TIA has distributed over $1 billion to effective and impactful teachers statewide. The program aims to retain top educators by providing a clear route to higher earnings. Participating school systems have reported positive effects on recruitment and retention, particularly those expanding their designation systems to encompass all teaching roles such as fine arts and special education. An internal analysis by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) indicated that TIA-designated teachers had a retention rate nine percentage points higher than their non-designated counterparts.

School systems participating in TIA use data from classroom observations and student academic growth outcomes to determine teacher designations. Teachers who remain in classroom positions contribute annually to teacher compensation funding. Districts have the option to include all teachers initially or gradually expand eligible teaching assignments.

Historically, TIA designations were categorized into Recognized, Exemplary, and Master groups. With House Bill 2's introduction of an Acknowledged designation band, more teachers will qualify for allotments. Additionally, the legislation increases allotment amounts for existing designation categories.

For further details and a list of participating districts, visit Participating and Aspiring Districts - Teacher Incentive Allotment.