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Given the paucity of state and national policy around teacher incentives, districts have very few examples of effective incentive programs to use as models. Meanwhile, hundreds of school districts in the state of Texas are eligible to participate in the state's two incentive programs. The state of Texas is poised to make a large-scale impact on teacher award programs and policy, both at the state and national levels. The primary goals of the technical assistance are to provide Texas school districts and charter schools with ongoing applied guidance in developing and implementing successful research-based educator performance award systems and to build capacity for long term support of these programs across the state. In May 2006, the 79th Legislature passed House Bill One. This bill was one of the most sweeping education reform bills in the state since the education code was re-codified in 1995. Included in this bill were two teacher performance award programs that created the largest investment in teacher awards in the nation. House Bill One created the the District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) and the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG). D.A.T.E. began implementation in the 2008-2009 school year and has been re-authorized for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. It makes funding available to all districts in the state to participate in the implementation of a performance award program either district-wide or on selected campuses. D.A.T.E. was funded at $147.5 million for the 2008-09 school year and $397 has been appropriated for the following two years of the program. TEEG, first implemented in the 2006-2007 school year, provided about $100 million for three years annually to the state's most economically disadvantaged campuses that have demonstrated the highest levels of student achievement or improvement. TEEG was discontinued after the 2008-2009 school year.
The TEEG was a non-competitive grant available to a targeted group of elementary, middle, high school, all grades, and alternative education campuses in the top half of the economically disadvantaged campuses. These campuses have demonstrated the highest levels of student achievement or improvement, as measured through the state accountability system. Campuses that receive these grant funds had to use 75 percent of the funds to award classroom teachers. In determining which teachers receive awards, campuses had to create an award program that relies on objective and quantifiable measures for two required criteria: impact on student achievement and collaboration. Campuses could have used the remaining 25 percent of funds on additional incentives, mentoring and induction, professional development, and other promising practices aimed at improving teacher quality and raising student achievement.. For more information, Go to the TEEG Main Page.
D.A.T.E. requires districts to develop and implement an award plan either district-wide or with a selection of participating campuses. Grant awards are divided into two parts. Part I funds make up at least 60 percent of the grant award and must be used to award classroom teachers or principals who are the most effective at improving student performance in Texas school districts and who meet the Texas Education Code (TEC) definition of a classroom teacher. Part II funds, up to 40 percent of the grant award, can be used on teacher stipends, teacher mentors, principal incentives, awards to other campus employees and elements of the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP). District-level planning committees will establish goals for their district award plans that are consistent with and motivated by their district improvement strategic plan. Once the district goals have been determined, district-level planning committees will create an awards plan that is either: 1) district-wide, 2) for select participating campuses including Targeted Campuses, or 3) to implement TAP. If a district chooses to implement the program in a subset of campuses, then districts are required to target their most high-need campuses. Funding is intended to support the establishment of district award programs that accomplish the following:
For more information, go to the D.A.T.E. Main Page. The purpose of D.A.T.E. is to allow districts to create or continue a system of awards for educators demonstrating success in improving student achievement. For more information, visit the D.A.T.E. Program Description. D.A.T.E. grant amounts are based on a district's Average Daily Attendance. Districts that participated in the Cycle One of D.A.T.E. must complete an application packet to participate in Cycle One, Year Two of the grant program. Access the application at the TEA Grant Opportunities Website.
Districts that did not participate in Cycle One are eligible to apply for Cycle Two of D.A.T.E. A Notice of Intent to apply will be due on September 30. The E-grant application will be availble in November 2009 and will be due in Spring 2010. Districts that did not complete a TPRI waiver for Cycle One, Year one must complete a waiver for Year Two. All Cycle Two districts must complete a waiver. Click here to complete the waiver to use TPRI within your D.A.T.E. plan Districts may not use the TPM as part of their awards criteria for D.A.T.E. To opt out of the D.A.T.E. grant, please follow visit the Notice of Removal page. If you have any problems, please contact the technical assistance team at 512-579-5050 or txeducatorawards@utsystem.edu Cycle 1, Year 1
Cycle 1, Year 2 (Continuing Grantees)
Cycle 2, Year 1 (New Grantees)
TAP is a comprehensive research-based reform model that provides differentiated compensation for teachers and principals based on teachers' performance in the classroom and the academic performance of their students. TAP balances a rigorous accountability system with strong support for teachers and school leaders. The program provides career advancement opportunities for teachers--including differentiated salary augmentations for increased responsibilities and duties--and time for ongoing applied professional growth during the school day. Developed in 1998 by researchers at the Milken Family Foundation, the Teacher Advancement Program is administered through the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) at the national level and through the University of Texas System at the state level in Texas. The core elements of TAP are supported by a rich body of scientific research as well as practice in the field. Further, the TAP process is consistent with successful business models, which emphasize the importance of incentives, accountability, on-the-job support and career paths in order to motivate and develop effective employees. The TAP process, currently used at more than 125 U.S. schools, impacting more than 56,000 students and 3,500 teachers, is showing remarkable promise as reported in a recent study conducted by NIET. TAP is dedicated to attracting, developing, motivating and retaining high-caliber educators in order to raise achievement levels for all students. To reach this goal, TAP provides incentives for career advancement, ongoing professional development, instructionally focused accountability, and performance pay - all of which are intended to maximize effective teaching. The TAP program seeks to create an environment where both teachers and students excel, where teachers and principals work together to improve instructional practice, and where teachers and principals are rewarded for success. For more information on TAP, visit www.talentedteachers.org or contact the Texas TAP office at (512) 499-4512.
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