TIA / T-TESS

Teacher Incentive Allotment

Key Definitions

• Data Capture Year: Year teacher performance data is collected.
• Data Submission Year: Year prior performance data determines TIA designation, submitted to TEA in October, notification in Spring.

Who is eligible for TIA? Eligible teachers must:

• Be employed as a teacher (087 PEIMS Role ID) by the last Friday in February.
• Be submitted for designation based on prior-year data, not already holding a same/lower designation.
• Meet creditable service (180 days at 50%+, or 90 days at 100%).
• Not have a revoked/suspended Texas teaching certificate or be on the Do Not Hire registry.
• Be reported as eligible teaching role  in the Class Roster Winter Submission.
• Have a “Proficient” minimum score in all teacher observation dimensions.
• Uncertified teachers meeting district performance criteria are also eligible.
• Must be in an eligible teaching assignment

Are non-core teachers eligible for TIA in Aldine ISD? Yes, non-core teachers (fine arts, special education, CTE) are eligible for TIA.

What if a teacher moves to a non-teaching role?

• Without designation: Ineligible for data capture or designation if the move occurs before or during the Data Capture Year or before data submission.
• With designation: Designation remains active until expiry, but no payment is received while in a non-eligible position.

Are National Board Certified Teachers given a Designation? Yes, National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) can be designated as Recognized if they:

• Hold an active NBPTS certificate.
• Are employed as a Texas public school teacher (087 Role ID) by the Class Roster Winter Submission.
• Are listed in the NBCT Directory for Texas by January 31.
• Do not have a revoked/suspended Texas certificate or are on the Do Not Hire registry.

Are designations attached to a grade or subject? No, designations are teacher-specific and remain active until expiry, regardless of district, role, or employment changes.

Can a teacher’s designation change within the five-year designation period? Yes, Recognized or Exemplary teachers can pursue a higher designation. If awarded, the five-year clock restarts, and the lower designation becomes inactive. Teachers cannot be submitted for an equal or lower designation.

What happens after the five-year designation period expires? An approved district can submit them for a new or higher designation if they meet local performance criteria.

If a designated teacher moves campuses from one school year to the next, will the allotment that teacher generates be recalculated? What if a teacher leaves in the middle of the year? Yes, the allotment is recalculated as values are campus-based (last Friday in February).

• Leaves before last Friday in February: New district receives funds (if creditable service is met).
• Leaves after last Friday in February: Previous district receives funds (if creditable service is met). Funds don’t follow teachers in real-time or prorated. Districts may forward funds per their spending plan but must spend 90% on teacher compensation on the original campus.

What happens if a designated teacher retires?

• Leaves before last Friday in February: There is no payout to the teacher because they left prior to the winter class roster.
• Leaves after last Friday in February: Districts may forward funds to the teacher per their spending plan.

Do teachers have to remain in Aldine for two years to earn a TIA designation? Yes, teachers must remain in the same district for two school years (one for data collection, one for designation processing) to earn a TIA designation through that district’s system.

Can I opt out of TIA or T-TESS?

• TIA: Teachers in eligible assignments cannot opt out of Data Capture Year requirements.
• T-TESS: All teachers in eligible assignments require a complete evaluation; appraisal waivers are not permitted.

Does teacher attendance factor into TIA designation eligibility? Aldine requires teachers to have 90% attendance in order to receive a payout of the allotment.  (FMLA, Military leave does not count against the teacher)

Funding And Spending

What is the funding schedule?

• April: TEA notifies districts of designations and allotments.
• May: Districts confirm allotment; TEA notifies teachers.
• By August 31: Districts must expend all TIA funds.
• September: TEA issues FSP payout (lump-sum for first-time recipients), then monthly payouts for the next school year.

Will the campus socio-economic tier data be recalculated every year? Yes, allotment values and campus socio-economic tier data are recalculated annually in April, affecting campus allotment values.

Are there limits on the number of teachers who can receive a TIA designation? No, there are no limits on the number of teachers who can earn a TIA designation.

If more teachers qualify to earn a designation, doesn’t that mean that teachers will each receive less money? Not necessarily. More designated teachers increase the district’s total allotment, allowing for compensation. While 90%+ must go to teacher compensation on the campus, districts determine individual distribution based on their spending plan, potentially including other educators.

When will teachers be notified of their TIA allotments? TEA notifies teachers of generated allotments in May. Aldine will email designated teachers explaining distribution. 90% goes to the teacher, 10% to Aldine for associated costs.

When will teachers find out about their designation status based on data captured during the 2025-2026 school year? Teachers will be notified in Spring 2027 (based on 2025-2026 data):

• 2025-2026: Data Capture Year.
• Fall/Winter 2026-2027: Districts submit data to Texas Tech; TEA review.
• Spring 2027: Districts notified of approvals/denials; TEA processes designations and allotments.

Student Growth Measures

What is the difference between student achievement and student growth in TIA? Student achievement is what a student knows at one point (e.g., test score). Student growth measures progress over time, accounting for starting points, which TIA uses to identify effective teachers.

Why does Aldine ISD use STAAR VAM data for student growth measures? Aldine uses STAAR VAM due to its:

• Demonstrated Validity and Reliability: VAMs accurately determine growth with normed assessments like STAAR.
• Statewide Protocols: Established administration and scoring simplify implementation.
• Data Availability: STAAR data is readily available statewide.

Can student growth data be attributed to more than one teacher? Yes, if multiple teachers instruct a student, growth data can be attributed to each. Districts have flexibility in determining growth targets and calculations.

What is the minimum number of students required for a teacher to generate a growth measure?

How does Aldine ISD ensure the validity and reliability of its student growth measures? Aldine ISD ensures validity and reliability of Pre-tests/Post-tests (PPSGMs) and VAMs by:

• Content Validity & Growth Targets: PPSGMs use bivariate regression to set individualized targets; VAMs rely on statistical robustness from historical data. TEA application confirms this.
• Administration, Scoring, & Security: Strict protocols include secure environments, annual training for PPSGMs, and statewide protocols for STAAR VAMs. TEA application details these.

What happens if a teacher’s assessment data triggers a data integrity flag? If data triggers a flag, the District TIA Data Integrity Team reviews it and notifies the principal. This indicates an unusual pattern, not an automatic penalty; clarification may be requested.

What are some examples of integrity breaches related to student growth measures? Breaches include: coaching students, altering answers, unauthorized accommodations, using personal devices, discussing test content, wrong assessment, giving hints, early access to materials, or failing to monitor.

What are the consequences of violating assessment integrity? Violating assessment integrity can invalidate student growth measures and impact a teacher’s TIA designation, as Aldine ISD prioritizes fair evaluations.

What should I do if I believe my TIA data is inaccurate? During the Reconciliation Window, you can request a review after:

1. Reviewing the TIA Manual.
2. Visiting the TIA Website.
3. Consulting your Campus TIA Support Team.
4. Speaking with your Principal.
5. Then, submitting the Reconciliation Form.

T-TESS

Can I request another appraiser? Requests for a new appraiser must be submitted formally and in writing to the campus Principal for consideration.

I do not like the ratings I received on a walkthrough. Can I request another walkthrough? No, you cannot request another walkthrough due to disagreement with ratings; the evaluation cycle includes three walkthroughs.

Can I request a second formal observation? Yes, if you disagree with the formal observation or Domain 4 feedback, you can request a second appraisal in writing via a centralized Google form within 10 business days of receiving feedback.

How are walkthroughs and observations calculated to determine my Performance Evaluation? Walkthroughs (single rating) are 20% of the final T-TESS score; formal observations are 40%. The average of dimension scores from Domains 2 and 3 (across three walkthroughs and one formal observation) determines the Performance Evaluation.

How many observations are required to meet the teacher observation requirement for Teacher Incentive Allotment? Three (10-15 minute) walkthroughs and one (45-60 minute) formal observation are required.

Am I required to submit artifacts for my appraiser to consider when rating my performance using the T-TESS Rubric? Artifact submission is mandatory for Domain 1 and Domain 4. Additional artifacts requested by an appraiser (from any domain) must be provided. Failure to submit requested artifacts can lower ratings, impacting TIA eligibility.