Designation Overview What is Enhanced TIA?
Enhanced TIA is a district-level designation that districts may apply for to access additional funding. School systems must have a fully approved TIA local designation system and build evaluation systems and compensation plans for both teachers and campus leaders. Once obtained, this designation allows districts to receive an additional 10% on top of their TIA funds to support this new system.
For teachers, school systems must:
- Include all teacher types as eligible for designation in a TEA-approved local teacher designation system for TIA.
- Replace the step and ladder pay scale with a compensation plan based on performance and move away from across-the-board pay raises.
- Implement a targeted distribution model and other appropriate quality control systems.
- Adopt an approach to teacher assignment based on student needs that includes strategic scheduling for early grades and high-need campuses and students.
For principals and assistant principals, school systems must:
- Develop a refined principal evaluation system consistent with the TIA approach.
- Replace the step and ladder pay scale with a compensation plan based on performance and move away from across-the-board pay raises.
Differentiating Strategic Compensation and Enhanced TIA
Strategic compensation: A performance-based human resource management strategy that involves designing and implementing a compensation plan that is strategically aligned with district objectives and district culture.
Enhanced TIA: A designation a district may apply for and receive after establishing a TIA local designation system with a strategic compensation spending plan based on performance that meets criteria based in TEC §21.3521. Once obtained, this designation allows districts to access an additional 10% of their TIA funds to support this new system.
Earning an Enhanced TIA DesignationThe Framework Earning an Enhanced TIA Designation
Just like establishing a local designation system, earning an Enhanced TIA designation takes thoughtful planning and stakeholder engagement. Review the recommended steps to learn how to earn an Enhanced TIA designation.
Build Foundational Knowledge and Assess District Readiness
Districts should begin by reviewing their strategic goals to identify alignment with Enhanced TIA and broader strategic compensation efforts. After confirming alignment, districts should use the Enhanced TIA Readiness Guide to evaluate their readiness to apply.
How Do We Know if We’re Ready for Enhanced TIA?
A district can assess local readiness to apply for Enhanced TIA once stakeholders have built a shared understanding of the program and its requirements.
The resource below provides guidance for determining a district’s readiness to develop a strategic compensation system. Organized by success factors, this tool helps districts self-assess their Enhanced TIA readiness and identify practical next steps.
Districts may work with their regional ESC or the Center for Strategic Compensation to further help them assess their readiness and further develop their systems to earn Enhanced TIA.
Once readiness has been assessed, districts may begin building their plan to meet all Enhanced TIA designation criteria.
Enhanced TIA Readiness Guide
Dallas ISD Case Study
Enhanced TIA Scoring Rubric
Submit an LOI
Submitting the Enhanced TIA LOI notifies TEA of a district’s anticipated timeline to develop their strategic compensation systems 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. Please fill out the online Letter of Intent (LOI) below to apply.
Create a TIA Expansion Plan
Review all teaching assignments and campuses and determine your district expansion plan to include substantially all teachers.
Planning for Eligible Teaching Assignments
Define Effective Leadership
Develop or refine documents that delineate the measurable characteristics of how your district defines an effective principal and assistant principal based on the TIA teacher local designation system.
Develop a Strategic Compensation Spending Plan
Changing compensation systems requires districts to analyze current spending and compare it to their vision for the future. Districts should analyze their current use of base salaries, TIA funds, and stipends to design a compensation system that rewards student outcomes. By combining TIA with other funding sources, districts can support long-term sustainability and align to the criteria for Enhanced TIA.
To help facilitate this, districts may use the Calculator for Reimagining Compensation to test changes in costs associated with compensation system for teachers, principals, and assistant principals. It models not only for the current year but can be used predictively to forecast over a five-year period.
Calculator for Reimagining Compensation
Plan for Strategic Teacher Assignment
Review current teacher placement practices, including high-needs campuses and teaching assignments. Then, develop strategies to ensure designated teachers are placed in these priority areas.
Talent Strategy Self-Assessment
Strategic Staffing Calendar
Strategically Supporting the Teaching Profession
Strengthen Data Collection Practices
Refine T-PESS and T-TESS calibration to ensure consistency across evaluators. Review and enhance online systems for data collection, including assessments, appraisals, and student outcome correlation for both teachers and campus leaders.
Enhanced TIA FAQsEnhanced TIA FAQs
How and when will districts be able to apply for an Enhanced TIA designation?
Districts that feel they have a system that meets all Enhanced TIA criteria in TEC §21.3521, may submit an application in the spring through the TIA Online Portal. TEA will communicate the application process and other information to districts who complete the LOI.
My district would like to begin the process of earning an Enhanced TIA designation. How do we do this?
Districts seeking to begin the process of earning an Enhanced TIA designation are encouraged to reach out to the TIA inbox, tia@tea.texas.gov.
When will districts receive the 10% increase to TIA funding amounts?
Enhanced TIA districts can expect to see the 10% increase of their generated TIA allotment arrive through the Foundation School Program in the September Settle Up.
Is Enhanced TIA a Principal Incentive Allotment?
No, there is no established Principal Incentive Allotment. Enhanced TIA is a district-level designation that must meet criteria based in TEC §21.3521, which includes an evaluation system for principals and assistant principals, based on the TIA teacher local designation system. Enhanced TIA districts create a system that recruits, retains, and rewards high-performing principals and assistant principals by replacing the traditional step and ladder pay scale based on years of experience with a compensation plan based on administrator performance. Districts with an Enhanced TIA designation do not receive additional funding per effective principal or assistant principal but receive an overall 10% increase to their TIA funding amounts when they meet all Enhanced TIA criteria.
How should a school system interested in Enhanced TIA consider the Teacher Retention Allotment?
School systems who earn an Enhanced TIA designation have the option to use funds generated from the Teacher Retention Allotment for compensation based on teacher performance and in line with the structures of TIA, as opposed to making the changes to their salary schedule based on creditable years of service. If your school system is interested in exploring this option, please email us at tia@tea.texas.gov.