Lufkin ISD teachers awarded $1.3M as part of incentive allotment program

LUFKIN, Texas ( KETK ) — Lufkin ISD announced on Tuesday that 22 teachers have received a total of $1.3 million in state funding.

The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) is a state funding program that rewards top-performing teachers. According to Lufkin ISD, the 22 teachers collectively earned $270,000 above their salaries and will continue to earn these funds for five years totaling $1.3 million in additional salary.

“These designations reflect their commitment to excellence in teaching and their significant impact on student growth,” Lufkin ISD Assistant Superintendent Shelly Slaton said. “Our teachers are the heart of our educational system, and this incentive program is one way we can show our appreciation for their hard work. We look forward to seeing more teachers become TIA designated this year.”

The TIA funding was built into Texas law as part of House Bill 3 in 2019, creating sustainable funding source for districts. Districts then receive annual allotment funds and must spend 90% or more on teacher compensation.

“Within these parameters, districts may choose to split the allotment funding in several ways,” TIA said. “Some districts choose to give the full 100% of funding to their designated teachers. Other districts choose to split the funding to reward other eligible educators who contribute to student success, such as instructional paraprofessionals.”

The allotment formula takes three factors into account, teacher designation level, campus socioeconomic level and campus rural status.

“This process began in 2020 with a district planning committee, then a state application submission along with a data gathering year,” Slaton said. “The last and final step was calibration and system approval from TEA. It’s been years of planning and preparation to get to this moment and it is very exciting and rewarding to see some of our very best teachers reach TIA designation status.”

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