CLICK CHARTS TO SEE FULL SIZE.
The amount of Longview ISD teachers qualifying for state incentive pay has increased over 50 percent in the first year of the program.
'I am very pleased to report that LISD Teacher Incentive Allotment designees increased from 52 this past year to 82 this year,' said Mr. John York, LISD Chief Human Resources Officer. 'This increase raises our total allotment from $650,000 to $984,869.'
Mr. York said the Teacher Incentive Allotment is fully funded by the state and came about with the passage of House Bill 3 in the last legislative session.
'The goal of the TIA is to create a realistic pathway to six-figure salaries for teachers, and to improve recruitment and retention of our most highly effective teachers and keep them in the classroom at our most challenging campuses,' he said.
When you combine TIA with the district's Longview Incentive For Teachers (LIFT) program, Longview ISD has 11 teachers whose salary will exceed $100,000 this year.
Mr. York provided trustees with a breakdown of the designations by campus and charter partner:
Currently there are 55 total designees at TCIS campuses, 24 at ETAA campuses, and 3 at LEAP campuses.
The designations start at the 'recognized' level and progress to 'exemplary,' with the highest being 'master.'
Mr. York said the allotment earned by the designee 'is determined by the poverty level of their campus.'
'Hence, the higher the campus poverty rate, the higher the allotment,' he said. 'This is intentional by design to recruit and retain the highest-paid teachers at the most challenging campuses.'
By statute 90 percent of the allotment must be spent on teacher compensation, said Mr. York.
'Our spending plan outlines 90 percent of the allotment be paid to the earning teacher,' he said. 'Teacher designations are placed on the teacher’s certificate and are valid for five years. During that five year period, the teacher must remain in a teaching position to earn an allotment.
During that five-year period, teachers not already at the master level may move up if their observation scores and student growth warrant an increase.
Mr. York said the district's implementation plan expands eligibility to include Kindergarten-Grade 3 teachers in the current 2020-21 data capture year using the Iowa Assessment to measure reading and math student growth.
'This expands our system to include Kindergarten teachers up through high school End-of-Course Exam Teachers,' he said. 'Teachers outside of tested areas may earn a designation by obtaining a National Board Certification, as attaining National Board Certification automatically qualifies a teacher for a Recognized designation.'
For more information about Longview ISD's incentive pay programs for district teachers please contact the Human Resource department at 903-381-2200.