Teacher Educator Excellence Grant
by Randy Ewing
December 14, 2007
As the school year began, staff from both the elementary and
high school campuses had an extra task facing them. By September 6,
they had to make some decisions. It is ironic, because they had to
do this extra work as a reward for all the hard work they had
already done. Both campuses were eligible for the Texas Educator
Excellence Award (TEEG).
In May 2006, the 79th Legislature, third-called special session,
passed House Bill One. Included in this bill were two teacher
incentive programs that, when fully funded at $320 million
annually, create the largest investment in teacher incentives in
the nation.
TEEG provides approximately $100 million annually to the state’s
most economically disadvantaged campuses that demonstrate the
highest levels of student achievement or improvement. TEEG is a
non-competitive grant available to a targeted group of elementary,
middle, high school, all grades, and alternative education campuses
who fall in the top half of economically disadvantaged campuses and
demonstrate the highest levels of student achievement or comparable
improvement, as measured through the state accountability
system.
Campuses that receive these grant funds must use seventy-five
percent of the funds to award incentives to classroom teachers. In
determining which teachers receive awards, campuses must create an
incentive program plan that relies on objective and quantifiable
measures for two required criteria: impact on student achievement
and collaboration. Campuses may use the remaining twenty-five
percent of funds on additional incentives.
Campuses notified of their eligibility to apply needed to establish
a campus wide planning committee to develop the campus’ incentive
plan. Campus committee members are responsible for developing a
plan around the two required program criteria, including award
distribution of funds under Part I (Teacher Incentives) and Part II
(Additional Incentives). The state suggests each teacher should
receive a minimum amount. The state sent half the amount needed to
give the minimum they suggested. Because Lytle could not afford the
minimum recommended, the board needed to approve the
applications.
The plan also requires teacher incentives be based on at least two
criteria. The two criteria are: 1. the teacher demonstrates success
in improving student achievement using objective, quantifiable
measures; and 2. the teacher demonstrates collaboration with faulty
and staff that contributes to improving overall student performance
on the campus.
Among the other requirements to receive the funds are:
Incentive Plans
1. A school district that applies to participate in the incentive
grant program will submit campus incentive plans for each
participating campus that rewards classroom teachers, in the
participating campus, for positively impacting student
achievement.
2. Incentive plans must identify which teachers are eligible;
articulate how teachers will be evaluated against the required
program criteria (one and two). Plans must identify the
quantifiable student performance measures selected, provide the
performance level teachers are required to meet in order to receive
incentive awards, and list the amount of each award.
Incentive Plan Development
3. A district must act pursuant to its local school board policy
for submitting a campus incentive plan and grant application to the
TEA.
4. Campus incentive plans must be approved by the district-level
planning and/or decision-making committee prior to submittal of the
application and incentive plan.
5. A campus-level decision-making body will determine and approve
the incentive plan, including the distribution of incentive funds,
prior to district level consideration.
6. Grant applications must demonstrate significant teacher
involvement in the development of the incentive program.
7. School districts must publish their incentive plan to allow
public viewing.
8. Applications must demonstrate evidence that the incentive plan
was presented at a regularly scheduled local school board meeting,
or provide the date of the meeting when the plan will be
presented.
Incentive Plan Components
9. Applications must include no less than three letters of teacher
support for the program. Letters must be authored by each
individual teacher and must outline their involvement in the
process and support for the program.
10. Applications must provide evidence that significant teacher
involvement and participation took place during the planning
process including a campus wide vote.
Incentive Plan Grant Allocation
11. The total grant allocation, excluding no more than five percent
of the total allocation used for direct administrative costs, must
be spent on the awarded campus.
12. Seventy-five percent of the total grant allocation must be used
to provide incentives to teachers in accordance with program
funding requirements.
13. Twenty-five percent of the total grant allocation must be used
to provide incentives to additional teachers or other campus
personnel.
14. Districts are required to distribute teacher incentives
allocated under Part I no later than October 15 following the
school year in which the campus incentive plan was executed. Part
II incentive funds can only be received after Part I funds are paid
out.
15. Districts are expected to record a campus vote among all
teachers approving, by a simple majority, the proposed incentive
plan.
While the development of these plans took a good deal of time for
the campuses, hopefully, the hard work will generate a payoff for
the teachers next fall.
