Latest news with #TeacherIncentiveAllotment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Down to the wire: Texas Legislature OKs school funding, water, animal-friendly bills
With the end of the 2025 Texas legislative session approaching Monday's finish line, the House and Senate are engaging in legislative ping pong across the rotunda with bills approved by both chambers. In this version of ping pong, each chamber decides whether to accept the changes made by the other or escalate the debate by settling differences via a conference committee. Here are some of the highlights from Thursday's floor sessions. Sweeping legislation to boost funding for public schools was sent to the governor's desk Thursday, completing the "Texas Two Step" designed to change the face of K-12 education in Texas. Step one fulfilled Gov. Greg Abbott's wish for a school voucher-like program through Senate Bill 2, which will make public money available to help pay for private education. He signed it into law in an elaborate ceremony earlier this month. House Bill 2 is step two. It provides $4.2 billion for teacher pay raises, expands the merit-based pay program known as the Teacher Incentive Allotment, invests in teacher preparation and certification programs, and creates a new $1.3 billion fixed cost fund for districts to pay overhead expenses. It also rewrites the way the state's special education system works, setting aside $850 million more for such programs, and provides $430 million more for school safety. More: Would school vouchers help Texas students with special needs? House to weigh 'school choice' Abbott has signed legislation to expand the list of slogans available for license plates. Senate Bill 1568 allows the Department of State Health Services to diversify plate design options to boost public interest and increase funding. The first redesign, 'Spay. Neuter. Adopt.', will offer Texans an easy way to support pets. The Animal-Friendly License Plate Program, originally established in 1997, provides money for free and low-cost spay and neuter initiatives. One part of the major legislative package to address the need for a reliable water supply in Texas made it across the finish line Thursday when the House agreed to the Senate's changes to a proposed constitutional amendment. House Joint Resolution 7 is a referendum that would start the allocation of $1 billion annually to the Texas Water Fund for up to 10 years by redirecting a portion of state sales tax collections. The money will help pay for more water and to repair aging infrastructure for local entities. Texas voters will have final approval on the plan in November. The other part of the package, Senate Bill 7, was still awaiting final approval Thursday. This is the legislation that would put the law on the books. The constitutional amendment would authorize the legislation. More: Texas infrastructure fares better than U.S. average but needs major investment: report Legislation to restrict land ownership from people "domiciled" in nations hostile to the United States was sent to the governor's desk Thursday. Senate Bill 17, authored by Brenham Republican Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and sponsored by Rep. Cole Hefner, R-Mount Pleasant, in the House, seeks to bar individuals and companies from "adversarial nations" as identified by the U.S. national intelligence director — currently, China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — from owning land or real estate in Texas. It also gives the governor authority to add or remove countries from the list. Each chamber offered its own version of the legislation, and the proposal sent to the governor was the work of a conference committee, which reconciled the differences. The measure would grant the attorney general jurisdiction to investigate "land law" violations and would make it a state jail felony to knowingly purchase property despite the restrictions. The conference committee report passed largely along party lines. Democratic Rep. Gene Wu of Houston said it would have the unintended consequence of hindering some members of the Asian community with legal standing to be in the United States from being able to purchase homes and businesses. More: Some Texans, civil rights groups alarmed by bill to ban certain migrants from owning land This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Legislation on school funding, water, land ownership advances in Texas
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature approves $8.5 billion boost for public schools after years of stagnant funding
The Texas House on Thursday gave the final stamp of approval to legislation authorizing roughly $8.5 billion in funding for public schools, sending the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk where it is soon expected to become law. Final passage of House Bill 2, which will give schools additional money for teacher and staff salaries, educator preparation, special education, safety requirements and early childhood learning, comes on the heels of extensive negotiations between the House and Senate over how the final version of the bill would look. Abbott has already said he intends to sign the bill, a notable difference from two years ago when he and the Legislature withheld billions from public schools following a failed attempt to create a private school voucher program. This year, lawmakers vowed to approve vouchers and new public school funding in tandem. The Legislature finalized the education finance package nearly a month after vouchers officially became law. The new dollars in HB 2 will allow school districts to begin making a dent in some of their long-standing challenges — a laundry list of items that includes reversing budget deficits, providing raises to full-time employees and keeping up with rising operational costs. HB 2 will provide districts with a $55 per-student increase to their base funding — a number short of the $395 per student hike proposed by the House earlier in the session and far less than the roughly $1,300 school officials said they needed to keep up with inflation. That base funding, known as the basic allotment, provides districts the most flexibility to address the range of needs on their campuses, from salaries and maintenance to instructional materials and athletics. In place of a significant boost to the basic allotment, the bill will give districts $45 per student that they can only use to increase the salaries of school counselors, librarians, nurses and other support staff. The bill also grants schools $106 per student to pay costs associated with transportation, insurance, utilities and hiring retired educators, which has become more common as schools struggle to fill teacher vacancies. HB 2 raises educator pay, which represents more than $4 billion of the proposal's overall funding. To do so, the bill dictates: * Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with 5,000 or fewer students will receive a $4,000 raise, while those with five or more years of teaching on their resume will earn $8,000. * Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with more than 5,000 students will earn a $2,500 raise, while those with five or more years of experience will receive $5,000. Furthermore, HB 2 includes funding for an expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state program that awards raises to educators who demonstrate that they have improved their students' academic outcomes — currently about 6% of teachers. The bill also would overhaul Texas' special education funding system to account for the individual needs of each student; establish a compensation system for educator preparation and mentorship programs; set aside money for schools to better identify learning difficulties among the state's youngest students and fund prekindergarten services; and increase the money districts receive for safety upgrades. This is a developing story; check back for updates. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
4 Alto ISD teachers recognized for their excellent work inside the classroom
ALTO, Texas (KETK) – Four teachers with the Alto ISD were recognized for their incredible work in the classroom as the school year nears an end. The teachers were recognized by the Texas Education Agency's Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), which is a program that awards excellence in teaching and student achievements. The TIA strives to recruit and retain highly effective teachers in rural and high-need districts. 'It's a little bit of a disappointment': Bullard ISD comments on middle school construction delay Teachers can earn designations at three levels, including recognized, exemplary, and master's based on their classroom performance, student growth and rigorous evaluations. The designation will remain on a teacher's Texas educator certificate for five years. Courtesy of Alto ISD Through the designation, teachers, along with the district, receive compensation funded entirely by the State of Texas. 90 percent of the funds go directly to the teachers, while ten percent of the funds are used to cover administrative costs. National Safe Boating Week reminds Texans to stay alert on the water as summer approaches The four Alto ISD teachers who earned TIA designations are: Mindy Scott, Master Teacher Sharon Delgado, Exemplary Teacher Emily Gound, Exemplary Teacher Clayton Norman, Exemplary Teacher Alto ISD Superintendent Emeritus Kelly West spoke about the recognition her teachers received and the hard work they have put in all year to receive this honor. 'I am very proud of the work that has been done behind the scenes to make this multi-year process come to fruition,' West said. 'District-level administrators and campus principals worked tirelessly to ensure that the student data and staff evaluations were submitted in a manner that proved the validity of the data through multi-layered statistical analysis.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
412 ECISD teachers earn Teacher Incentive Allotment awards
ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Ector County ISD leaders wrapped up Teacher Appreciation Week by delivering big checks to teachers who earned a designation in the state's Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program. The number of teachers and the amount of money awarded grew for the fourth straight year, with 412 teachers earning more than $4.6 million compared to the 353 teachers and $3.1 million a year ago. This year the teachers represent 40 ECISD schools, and their individual awards range from $3,425 to $22,559. Friday morning, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Keeley Boyer visited five schools and hosted an ECISD Live broadcast and media event at Blackshear Elementary where 16 teachers were recognized, 4 of them having earned the highest designation, Master level. 'This is one of the best days of the year,' said ECISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Keeley Boyer. 'We get to celebrate a lot of teachers, 412 of them. We are proud to see more of our teachers getting this recognition from the state each year. It shows that more of our teachers are having a positive impact on students.' The Teacher Incentive Allotment was created by the Texas Legislature in 2019, as part of House Bill 3, to provide a realistic pathway for top teachers to earn six-figure salaries and to help attract and retain highly effective teachers at traditionally hard-to-staff schools. The allotment amount per teacher is based on the level of academic growth their students attained, teacher instructional performance, and the percentage of socio-economically disadvantaged students at their school. There are three levels for which a teacher in Texas can qualify: Recognized, Exemplary and Master. In ECISD, 147 teachers are Recognized (compared to 175 a year ago), 149 are Exemplary (up from 128 a year ago), and 111 are at the Master level (up from 50 a year ago). The numbers show that not only are more teachers earning designations but teachers are improving, too, leveling up from Recognized to Exemplary to Master. Teaching is in Samantha Hudson's DNA. Her mom was an educator and both of her grandparents on both sides of the family were teachers. The 4th grade teacher at Blackshear Elementary, leveled up two steps from Recognized to Master earning an incentive of more than $22,000. As she spoke to reporters after the presentation she said, 'My heart is still racing. This feels amazing, it really is such an honor. It reminds me I make a difference in the livesof my kids.' She called the incentive 'life changing' and plans to use it for a down payment on a new house. Not only does a qualifying teacher receive the TIA incentive dollars, they also have the Recognized, Exemplary or Master designation placed on their teaching certificate. The designation remains in place for five began the rigorous TIA application process in 2019. The teacher's data is collected for one year, then verified by Texas Tech University and reviewed by the Texas Education Agency. The monetary awards are then dispersed the following year. In this fourth year of TIA payouts, eligible ECISD teachers are Kindergarten through 8th grade English Language Arts; Math, English I, English II, and Algebra I; PreK-4; 3rd grade through 8th grade Science, Biology, US History (8th grade and high school), and Advanced Placement English III, English IV, US History, Government, Economics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology . ECISD adds additional subjects to eligibilityeach year. Staci Walton, history teacher at New Tech Odessa, earned a Master level designation. After receiving the news, she was emotional as she thanked her students and her mother.'As I always tell you [students], we are not just individuals we are a…family,' Ms. Walton said. 'This is not possible without you. Thank you. And to my mother, thank you, thank you. This is an early Mother's Day present.' 30 teachers earned incentives of $20,000 or more. 5 schools have more than 20 teachers whoearned incentives. The highest campus total is Murry Fly Elementary where the 22 teachers earned a combined total of $304,457. 'And this is not a gift,' Dr. Boyer added. 'This is something these teachers earned with their hard work and dedication and the check goes directly to them. We are excited for them, proud of them, and thank them for serving students so well.' Read more about Teacher Incentive Allotment in ECISD at and more from the state at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
