Getting Started Initial Steps to Begin the Process
Creating a local designation system takes thoughtful planning and stakeholder engagement. TEA allows flexibility in system design to align with each district’s goals for retention, recruitment, and staffing.
Review the initial steps recommended for creating a local designation system, including establishing a TIA lead and planning committee before beginning to build the local designation system.
Review TIA Requirements and Establish a TIA Lead
For districts just getting started, the first step is to build general understanding of TIA and designate a TIA lead or leads. The TIA lead(s) drive the work of creating the local designation system and serve as a point of contact for TEA. TIA leads coordinate with district departments and key stakeholders to complete the System Application and oversee system implementation.
Who Should be a TIA Lead?
TIA leads must have the expertise, capacity, and high-level support to lead the work of developing a local designation system. District TIA leads often work in human resources, teacher appraisal, or curriculum and instruction.
Recruit a TIA Planning Committee
Recruiting a TIA planning committee helps districts manage the process of developing a local designation system. The committee should understand the mechanics of TIA as well as key dates and timelines. Guided by the TIA lead(s), the planning committee oversees creating the local designation system in alignment with district goals and core values.
Who Should Be in a TIA Planning Committee?
The committee should include key personnel such as teachers, human resources, finance, curriculum and instruction, appraisal leads, and administrators.
Submit a Letter of Intent
All new districts need to submit an LOI to gain access to the TIA System Application hosted in the TIA Online Portal.
Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) notifies TEA of a district’s anticipated timeline for developing their local designation system, establishes their points of contact, and grants access to the application in the TIA Online Portal. Completing an LOI also provides access to training and webinars and ensures the district receives relevant updates. The LOI is non-binding. Please email TIA@tea.texas.gov to request the online LOI form.
What if the District’s Anticipated Timeline Changes?
Districts may update their LOI at any time if they wish to push back their timeline or update points of contact by emailing the TIA team at tia@tea.texas.gov.
Develop a Documentation Plan
Districts determine how their local designation system plans are documented, stored, and shared. The creation of a local designation system is a multi-year process and must be sustainable despite turnover or role changes. If a district changes the TIA lead(s) or members of their committee, proper documentation and shared access allows the new lead to successfully transition and continue the work.
What Should the TIA Planning Committee Document?
A best practice is to maintain both shared digital and hard copy records of meeting minutes, decisions, timelines, and involved personnel.
Components of a Local Designation System
Key Decisions Components of a Local Designation System
The TIA planning committee develops a clear understanding of system components and current district policies. There are three main components to a local designation system: eligible teaching assignments and campuses, teacher performance data and designation criteria, and a TIA spending plan.
Eligible Teaching Assignments and Campuses
Each eligible teaching assignment in the local designation system must be appraised using an approved teacher appraisal rubric and have a valid and reliable student growth measure. All teachers may be included in the local designation system or a district may opt to limit designation eligibility to specific teaching assignments and/or campuses.
Teacher Performance Data and Designation Criteria
Teacher performance data includes the teacher observation data, student growth data, and data from optional components the district chooses to include in their system. Designation criteria refers to the teacher performance data and mathematical process a district uses to determine which teachers qualify for each level of designation.
TIA Spending Plan
Funds from TIA must be spent according to statute. 90% or more of the allotment must be spent on teacher compensation on the campus where the designated teacher worked. Up to 10% of the allotment may be used by the district to support the local designation system or in teachers earning designations.
Stakeholder EngagementGetting Buy-In Stakeholder Engagement
TIA may represent a big change to teacher evaluation and compensation. Buy-in – especially from teachers – is critical. Incorporating stakeholder engagement early and often helps districts create a more sustainable system. Stakeholder engagement is part of the foundation for a strong system.
The Application YearSupport and Resources The Application Year
TIA provides robust support for districts prior to and throughout the Application Year. It is recommended that districts begin the planning process prior to the year in which they intend to apply. The Application Year follows a school year calendar. Beginning in August, TIA conducts technical assistance sessions over the school year that cover each system component as districts continue to develop their local designation systems.
By mid-spring of the Application Year, districts should have their systems fully developed and be ready to submit their System Application in April. Districts not yet ready to apply can choose to repeat the sequence the following year and apply the following spring.
All Developing & Applying Resources
TIA Readiness Guide: Building a Local Designation System
Application Timeline
Application Year
Application Year 2022-23
(Cohort F)
Application Year 2023-24
(Cohort G)
Application Year 2024-25
Application Year 2025-26
Application Year 2026-27
Application Year 2027-28
System Application Posted
Nov 2022
Nov 2023
Nov 2024
Nov 2025
Nov 2026
Nov 2027
System Application Due to TEA
Apr 15, 2023
Apr 15, 2024
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2026
Apr 15, 2027
Apr 17, 2028
System Application Results
Aug 2023
Aug 2024
Aug 2025
Aug 2026
Aug 2027
Aug 2028
Data-Capture Year
2023-2024
2024-2025
2025-2026
2026-2027
2027-2028
2028-2029
Data Submission Due to Texas Tech University
Oct 17, 2024
Oct 16, 2025
Oct 15, 2026
Oct 14, 2027
Oct 19, 2028
Oct 18, 2029
Final System Approval Notification
Feb 2025
Feb 2026
Feb 2027
Feb 2028
Feb 2029
Feb 2030
Initial Designations and Allotments
Apr 2025
Apr 2026
Apr 2027
Apr 2028
Apr 2029
Apr 2030
Initial Annual Program Submission Due
Aug 29, 2025
Aug 2026
Aug 2027
Aug 2028
Aug 2029
Aug 2030
Approved Districts Receive Initial Payout via FSP
Sep 2025
Sep 2026
Sep 2027
Sep 2028
Sep 2029
Sep 2030
System Renewal Application Due
Apr 2028
Apr 2029
Apr 2030
Apr 2031
Apr 2032
Apr 2033
Next Steps Develop System Components
Discover the next steps in applying for a local designation system, from determining eligible teachers and campuses to establishing designation criteria and teacher spending plans.
Developing and Applying for a Local Designation System FAQsDeveloping and Applying for a Local Designation System FAQs
How should the TIA lead be determined?
The TIA lead must have the expertise, capacity, and high-level support to lead the work. While some districts may create a position specific to leading their TIA local designation system development, most designate existing personnel to lead TIA while performing other essential functions. The TIA lead should have regular access to district leadership when key decisions are made.
District TIA leads often work in human resources, teacher appraisal, or curriculum and instruction. A best practice for larger districts is to select two or more TIA leads working in different departments.
What happens if a TIA lead leaves the district?
If the TIA lead retires, resigns, or moves into a new role, districts may update their contact information by emailing TIA@tea.texas.gov. TEA encourages districts to have at least one back-up point of contact who is aware of the district’s TIA plans and can access documentation.
Learn more about the role of a TIA Lead.
How can districts include Special Education teachers in the local designation system?
Some districts choose to begin with a subset of teaching assignments or campuses and then create plans to expand their system after initial approval. As district teams build their local designation system, they can include support teachers such as interventionists, SPED inclusion, and dyslexia teachers if they are employed as a teacher (087 StaffClassification (formerly Role ID) in PEIMS) and have a valid and reliable student growth measure.
Review this resource to learn more about integrating Special Education teachers in the TIA local designation system: TIA Special Education
Can a district phase in groups of teachers over time?
Yes. Districts have local flexibility to develop their local designation systems. For example, a district may choose to include only math and reading teachers in year one, and then expand to include science and social studies teachers in year two, etc. Districts must submit an expansions/modifications application by April for changes to begin capturing data for new teacher groups the following school year.
Can a district apply for TIA only at specific campuses in its district and not others?
Yes. Districts must specify which campuses are eligible under their local designation system and are not required to include all campuses. However, the district may still receive funds for designated teachers employed at campuses that are not included in their local designation system.
Can 1882 partners apply for a local designation system?
Yes, 1882 partners may apply for their own local designation system with sign off from the parent district superintendent. All funds are awarded to the district. 1882 partners and their districts must work together to ensure that funding for teachers employed by the partner is transferred and spent in compliance with statutory requirements. 1882 partners should apply and develop unique systems for each of their district partnerships.
In some cases, the district includes 1882 partner-operated campuses in their local designation system and collaborates with the partner to ensure the system is implemented with fidelity.
Is TIA limited to Teachers of Record?
TEA does not limit designations to teachers of record. Districts may also include support teachers such as interventionists, SPED inclusion, and dyslexia teachers if they are employed as a teacher (087 StaffClassification (formerly Role ID) in PEIMS), are appraised using an approved rubric, and have a valid and reliable student growth measure.
Can the district utilize existing student growth measures for the local designation system?
Districts may begin by looking at the student growth measures already in place for each assignment and exploring which assignments may require a new or modified option.
The timeline for implementing new student growth measures is often a top consideration when determining eligible teaching assignments and readiness to apply for a local designation system. Districts can opt to start with teaching assignments which already have valid and reliable growth measures while exploring student growth measures for additional teaching assignments in subsequent years.
What student growth measures can be used for teachers in non-tested subjects?
Districts can use locally developed or third-party student growth measures, as long as they are valid and reliable. Examples include SLOs, pre- and post-tests, industry certification exams, and student portfolios. Districts may find the T-TESS Guidance on Student Growth Measures (PDF) helpful as they consider different student growth measures. For more information, visit texasslo.org.
What is the time frame to apply, and what happens after a district’s local designation system is submitted for review?
Districts must submit a completed application by April to begin implementing their accepted system and gathering teacher performance data the following school year. TEA reviews system applications and notifies districts by late July whether the application was accepted.
When should districts begin communicating with teachers about their local designation systems?
Districts are encouraged to communicate with teachers early in the process and throughout the development and implementation of their local designation systems. The TIA Readiness Checklist includes a section on community and teacher communication.
Can interventionalists or inclusion teachers be included in the local designation system?
It is a district decision whether or not to include support teachers in the local designation system. TEA does not limit eligibility to teachers of record. Teachers must be coded with a 087 teacher StaffClassification (formerly Role ID) in PEIMS to be eligible.