SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Education Agency recently announced the second list of school systems included in Cohort B of the Teacher Incentive Allotment designation. In Bexar County, the San Antonio Independent School District and the School of Science and Technology will be included in the program.
Harmony Public Schools and Somerset ISD were the first schools in the county to be included in the program when it started in fall 2020.
San Antonio ISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez says he’s excited to know that nearly 200 of his best teachers will be getting the recognition they need in their paychecks, plus additional bonus pay of $10,000 per person to help coordinate a post-COVID-19 education plan.
“We do have individuals in our teacher base that will be making over $100,000. And these are teachers that have been teacher leaders across,” Martinez said.
Martinez says the great thing about the Teacher Incentive Allotment designation is that this is state funding that has been set aside, unlike grants that are only available until funds are exhausted.
Teachers who receive the designation will keep the raise for five years and qualify again to continue the pay increase. Each year, districts can add more teachers to the list that meet the requirements set by the TEA.
The goal of the state program is to keep good teachers in high needs and rural districts to improve their teacher retention and recruitment of great teachers.
Educators who are selected have shown to be effective teachers, and their results have measurable improvements in their students. Each district has to use at least 90% of the funds on teacher pay, and the rest can be used for other programs to help teachers get training.
Martinez says all the funds SAISD received will be used for teacher pay exclusively.
Statewide, $43 million have been generated to pay more than 4,600 teachers. Another 108 National Board teachers have also received the designation and increased pay.
Last year was the first year the program was launched, and Somerset ISD had 20 teachers receive the designation. This year an additional 10 teachers will get the extra pay.