10-05-2025
Teacher Incentive Allotments delivered
May 9—Blackshear Elementary School fifth grade teacher Dave Machuca is going to Disney World this summer, especially after being awarded $22,415.40 through the Teacher Incentive Allotment Friday.
Machuca was one of 412 teachers — including 16 at Blackshear — given a big check. Along with their checks, teachers sported black sashes with the words Inspiring Minds in white on them.
Superintendent Keeley Boyer noted that Blackshear teachers earned a total of $219,000.
Machuca has been teaching for 17 years, including seven at Blackshear. He said he had received smaller checks previously and this year was a tremendous jump.
Being recognized in this way was nice — and appreciated — after so many years.
"It's nice that they're starting to do this for our teachers" Machuca said.
He said he was planning to go to Disney before he got the funds, but it will help.
Fourth grade teacher Samantha Hutson also received $22,415.40 and it's life-changing for her. A single mom, she plans to use the money for a downpayment on a house. This is her 19th year with ECISD and her fifth year at Blackshear.
"I think it's amazing," Hutson said of being recognized. "I think it's such a good inspiration for teachers daily just to have that drive and that persistence and that determination to come to work, to show up, to be present and to really give their best effort," Hutson said.
The recognition is a daily reminder to be present even on the hard days "when I want to give up. This motivates me to be at work and give it my all," she added.
Last year, 350 teachers were recognized. Boyer said this year $4.6 million was awarded and last year it was $3.1 million. Teachers at 40 schools received the Teacher Incentive Allotment this year. Boyer said there were more teachers this year because more teachers are impacting students at a higher level when it comes to academic achievement and growth.
"I think it just has really a testament to the work that our teachers are doing in the classroom," Boyer said.
There were campuses that had more than 20 recipients, but she said this was a campus the team had not visited before to celebrate.
"We wanted to come celebrate 16 TIA checks, as well as $219,000 which is a very large amount," Boyer said.
Teachers get the Teacher Incentive Allotment through student growth and student performance on STAAR and MAP tests.
The evidence is showing up with the students, she added.
The check amounts differ by school population and designation. There are recognized awards, exemplary awards, and master level awards, which is the highest level.
"Depending on student population in terms of economically disadvantaged, as well as teacher performance, that is where the teacher lands in terms of their designation. Recognized is your lowest amount," Boyer said.
At Blackshear, that was $6,184.80, followed by exemplary at $12,368.70 and master at $22,415.40.
All teachers, regardless of school, use the same foundational high-quality instruction, but Boyer said they differentiate based on student need.
"Every school and every kid needs something a little different so our teachers do differentiate, and that is where you see the growth because these awards are based on student learning growth. Here we have 16 teachers that are in the top 15% of the state on growing kids when it comes to academic success," Boyer said.
ECISD is in its fourth year of awarding Teacher Incentive Allotments. As a district, ECISD opted into the statewide program.
Over the past four years, the program has grown tremendously in terms of the number of teachers who have received the award.
They started four years ago with a little more than $800,000 in payouts and now it's at $4.6 million.
This was the first time she had done the honors as superintendent.
"It is so fun, and it is just exciting to see how happy the kids are for their teachers. You could hear it every single time a teacher's name was called, the kids just erupted with joy. Just seeing the kids celebrate their teachers and be as excited for them as the teachers are to receive the big checks. It's a ton of fun," Boyer said.
"I've gotten to be a part of it for the past several years in my role as chief of schools and going out to other schools. But today was my first time to be a part of actually handing out the checks. It was definitely a fun day and a few more stops to go," Boyer said.
Zavala Elementary where six teachers were recognized was the next stop. Some 735 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade celebrated the instructors.
Principal Tanya Galindo said having her teachers recognized was a blessing.
"I'm elated. All of our teachers in our district work so hard making sure that we put kids first and doing what's best for our kids, and the fact that they get rewarded for it is even better," Galindo said.
The presentation also capped off Teacher Appreciation Week.
"What a perfect way to end Teacher Appreciation Week," Galindo said.
She added that it's great that the students are able to experience it and see all the great things that are happening in the classrooms. Galindo said some of the students told her they want to become teachers so they can get the big checks, too.
"But seeing their teachers get rewarded is also wonderful. We're a family here on this campus, so we celebrate everybody, all teachers, all students. We really focus on celebrating everyone and their accomplishments," Galindo said.
This is Galindo's last year at Zavala. She will be principal at Burleson Early Education Center.
"This was wonderful. I'm so glad I was here to experience this with with my teachers. What a great thing to experience and just to celebrate them," she added.
