Data Review Verifying System Fidelity
Following the initial Data Capture Year, districts with an accepted application submit data to Texas Tech for data validation. TEA then studies the data validation results and conducts a holistic system review before issuing full system approval. If approved, TEA processes the district’s designations. If a district system is not approved, the district may use feedback from the data validation process to make improvements to their system before reattempting data validation in subsequent years.
Fully approved districts may continue to submit full system data to propose new or higher designations annually to Texas Tech. TEA will continue to review data validation results and approve the district to issue new or higher designations annually. If data validation indicates the system is no longer valid and reliable, new and higher designations will not be processed, however, all prior-approved designations will still be valid. The district may submit data again the following year to propose new or higher designations.
The data review process involves gathering necessary teacher performance data, determining designations, submitting the data, and getting data validated.
TEA approves district designation systems. TEA will not approve or reject individual teacher designations.
Determining DesignationsDetermining Designations
Prior to submitting data to Texas Tech, districts use the teacher performance data (teacher observation, student growth, and other optional components if applicable) collected to determine which teachers qualify for each level of designation.
Data Submission
Data Submission
Once designations are determined, districts submit a single data file to Texas Tech University for validation along with teacher designation fees.
Data Validation
Data Validation
Texas Tech provides TEA with data validation results based on ten different checks as well as three unscored supplemental checks across five domains.
Approvals and Denials
Approvals and Denials
In early February, districts are notified of whether their local designation system has been approved or denied. If approved, TEA processes new teacher designations in April. If denied, districts can resubmit data the following year.
Appraisal Waivers
Appraisal Waivers
TEA encourages districts to continue capturing data for all teachers in eligible assignments following the initial Data Capture Year and cautions approved districts to issue appraisal waivers sparingly. TEA and Texas Tech may exercise administrative discretion to suspend annual data validation and designation approval if sufficient data is not reported.