Year 2 System Implementation and Data Capture
In the first year of system implementation, called the “Data Capture Year,” the district conducts calibration exercises, analyzes data, administers student growth measures, and coordinates among departments to monitor teacher performance data throughout the year. Districts must implement the system in accordance with their System Application. Districts will also administer the Teacher Buy-In Survey early in the year to gauge teacher understanding and support for the local designation system.
By the end of the Data Capture Year, the district has appraised and collected student growth data for all teachers in TIA-eligible assignments, and optional data components if applicable. This data will then be used to determine which teachers qualify for designation the following school year.
The following school year, districts submit teacher observation and student growth data, along with proposed teacher designations, to Texas Tech University in the fall for data validation. Once Texas Tech completes data validation, TEA conducts a holistic system review prior to final approval of designation systems and teacher designations.
Overview of the 2023-24 Data Capture Year
Planning Guide for Data Capture Year
What is Included Collecting Data for Eligible Teaching Assignments
During the Data Capture Year, all teachers in an eligible teaching assignment must have a formal appraisal with complete observation data and a final student growth rating. For the appraisal, districts will report one numeric score for each observable dimension. For the student growth rating, districts report the percentage of the teacher’s students who met or exceeded their individual expected growth target.
Data capture must also include teachers in eligible assignments who do not meet any local eligibility criteria for designation (ex: attendance, professional development requirements, district-required application). Teachers in eligible assignments may not opt-out of Data Capture Year requirements, even if they do not wish to be considered for designation. Failure to capture a teacher’s performance data for any teacher in an eligible teaching assignment for any reason may impact the district’s data validation results and cause a delay in the system review.
Data Capture PoliciesThe Rules Data Capture Policies
Failure to capture performance data for teachers in eligible assignments may impact the district’s data validation results. In rare cases, circumstances outside of the district’s control may prevent the district from capturing data for one or more teachers. Please refer to the FAQs for allowable exceptions and prohibitions. Outside of these exceptions, if a district fails to collect complete data in alignment with the accepted System Application, TEA may exercise administrative discretion and suspend data validation and system review until the following school year.
Preparing for Data SubmissionAccuracy & Completion Preparing for Data Submission
Before determining designations and preparing data for submission, districts must ensure all data has been collected and checked for accuracy and completion.
Once teacher performance data is compiled and reviewed at the district level, best practice is to establish a window for campus administrators and teachers to verify the data. Many districts distribute teacher score cards with the individual teacher’s appraisal rating, student growth or assessment scores, student roster verification, and a final growth rating. This allows the opportunity for appeal and correction of inaccuracies before designations are determined and data is sent to Texas Tech for validation.
Administer the TIA Teacher Buy-in SurveyStakeholder Engagement Administer the TIA Teacher Buy-in Survey
The TIA Teacher Buy-In Survey, developed by Texas Tech University, is designed to gauge teachers’ understanding and degree of support for their district’s local teacher designation system prior to system implementation. Districts may use results as part of a continuous improvement cycle to ensure the local teacher designation system is as fair, accurate, and reliable as possible.
The Teacher Buy-In Survey will be administered after the district’s System Application is accepted, and TEA will provide directions for submitting all teachers’ email addresses to Texas Tech University. Texas Tech administers the survey to all teachers and sends weekly reminders to teachers who have not completed the survey. Once the survey window closes, districts will receive aggregated responses, a detailed report, and statewide averages.
Data Capture Year FAQsData Capture Year FAQs
What if a teacher works in more than one eligible teaching assignment
Districts may use data from one or multiple eligible teaching assignments in the same eligible teacher category. This is a local decision.
Many districts allow eligible teachers to waive an annual appraisal. Will an annual appraisal be required for teachers to earn a designation?
Districts must have observation and student data from the data capture year for all teachers in the district’s system. After receiving full system approval, districts may have teachers on appraisal waivers, but those teachers may not be submitted for proposed designations. An annual appraisal is required for teachers to earn a designation. TEA cautions districts to use waivers sparingly following system approval, as this may impact future data validation and future proposed designations. Appraisals must comply with §21.351 and §21.352.
Once approved districts submit their data in the fall following their data capture year, will they be required to continue submitting data for the next four years?
After the data capture year, districts continue to submit data for validation each year they wish to put forth teachers for new or higher designations.