Teachers earn designations through two different routes. First, National Board Certified teachers are eligible to earn a Recognized designation. Second, districts may designate their effective teachers when they are approved for a local teacher designation system. The approval process is multi-step and includes the submission of a system application to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and then a data validation process through Texas Tech University.

FUNDING

Is the TIA funded by the state or district?
TIA is funded by the State of Texas as part of House Bill 3.  As a result, the state has established specific criteria and guidelines regarding how the funds can be earned and distributed.

Will all teachers earn some kind of compensation through TIA?
The State of Texas designed the Teacher Incentive Allotment to “ensure top teachers have a realistic path to a competitive annual salary and to attract and keep effective educators in the classroom and incentivize teaching at challenged campuses.”  In addition, the state designates that only teachers who are coded as an 087 in PEIMS are eligible for designations.  Therefore, the system is not designed to compensate all teachers/staff.

LOGISTICS

How will the district determine which teachers receive the designation?
The state mandates that Teacher Observation and Student Growth or Performance be utilized to determine TIA designations.  In addition, other components may be considered.  The district is currently determining the weighting of Teacher Observation and Student Growth components. 

Do teachers have to participate in the Teacher Incentive Allotment?
TIA metrics will be calculated for ALL teachers in PISD.  The name of any PISD teacher who meets the criteria for recognition will be submitted to Texas Tech University as part of the data validation process.  Once the state approves, teachers will be notified of their TIA designation.  A teacher may choose not to accept that designation.  

NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION

What is National Board Certification?
The National Board Certification process is designed to collect standards- based evidence of accomplished practice. In all 25 certificate areas, candidates for National Board Certification must complete four components: three portfolio entries, submitted online, and a computer-based assessment, which is administered at a testing center. 

Computer-based assessment
Component 1: Content Knowledge  

Portfolio Entries
Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction
Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment
Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner

Learn more about the National Board Certification by clicking on the link.

What is the difference between National Board Certification and TIA?
National Board Certification is a designation teachers across the United States can obtain.  Once the certification is earned, it can be transferred anywhere in the nation.  The Teacher Incentive Allotment is a program initiated under HB3 by the State of Texas.  As such, the designations earned can be transferred across districts only in the state of Texas. 

Will earning a National Board Certification automatically earn a teacher the recognized designation?
Yes.

*FAQ will be updated as we receive questions/answers.