Classroom teachers projected to earn over $100,000 in 2022-23 school year!
Longview ISD is awarding more than $5.1 million in incentive pay for achieving teachers, with a few of the very highest-performing teachers projected to receive more than $30,000 extra in their December paychecks!
"We're thrilled with the excellent progress all our teachers and staff are making with students across the entire district," said Dr. James Wilcox, Superintendent of Schools.
Dr. Wilcox said the goal of the district in starting the program was to maintain our most successful and effective teachers in the regular classroom.
"We could not be more excited to see our teachers receive these dollar amounts," he said. "But our students are the real winners!"
Incentive bonus distribution will come in "lump sum" disbursement beginning on Friday, Dec. 16th.
Dr. James Hockenberry, LISD Assistant Superintendent of District Services, explained that the district utilizes LISD's aggressive local pay structures and the Longview Incentive For Teachers (LIFT) program, to make this possible for our hard-working education professionals.
"Our students perform better, our teachers make more money. It's as simple as that," he said. "This program is 100 percent funded through local funds from the fund balance, as approved by our board of trustees."
Longview ISD schools earned 53 total distinctions on accountability ratings, according to the Texas Education Agency. An increase from the 51 distinctions earned a year ago, and yet again one of the highest numbers of distinctions for any school system in East Texas.
Campuses are awarded distinctions for achievement in several areas based on performance relative to a group of 40 other campuses in Texas (campus comparison group) that are of similar type, size, grade span, and student demographics. Districts and campuses that receive an accountability rating of A, B, C, or D are eligible to earn distinction designations. However, the only distinction a district may earn is postsecondary readiness, which Longview ISD received.
Longview ISD campuses earned 52 out of 70 possible distinctions, as well as the district-wide distinction in postsecondary readiness, bringing the total number of distinctions to 53.
Dr. Hockenberry explained that, in addition to the LISD program is the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), which provides a realistic pathway to pay outstanding teachers six-figure salaries.
"As such, it will dramatically improve the recruitment and retention of highly effective teachers and keep them in the classroom at our most challenging campuses," added Dr. Hockenberry. "Teacher Incentive Allotment compensation will be paid in addition to the current Longview Incentive for Teachers (LIFT) program."
Longview ISD was ahead of the curve back in 2011, when trustees voted to implement a performance pay system for middle school reading and math teachers. Designed to help close the achievement gap between low socio-economic and middle-income students, today the LIFT Pay for Performance Program includes three award models, and has proven instrumental in retaining high-quality educators.
"Our district is one of leadership and innovation," added Dr. Wilcox. "We don't follow the trends in education, we set them."
Home to more than 8,000 students and 1,000 staff members, Longview ISD's richly diverse student population reflects our wonderful city and the East Texas area in general.
But our educational offerings are just as diverse as our people, including everything from magnet charter school STEAM campuses to project-based learning, career technology programs, and state-of-the-art facilities.
Longview Independent School District is the only public school system in Texas that offers free Montessori education to all Head Start, Pre-K/Kindergarten students enrolled in the district, in addition to the world-renowned International Baccalaureate program offered free of charge at all district campuses.