Canyon ISD board unanimously approves teacher incentive allotment plan after monthslong planning

The Canyon Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously April 14 to approve the district's Teacher Incentive Allotment plan, a multi-year program staff said is designed to let every eligible teacher access state TIA funding and to align teacher pay with local appraisal ratings and student progress measures.

District staff described the plan as a two-year rollout that will first include grade levels and content areas with existing student-progress measures and add additional teachers and electives in year two after those measures are established. "The planning committee recommended a 90/10 split so that 90% of the allotment goes to teachers and 10% covers district TIA-related expenses," said Cameron (staff member), who presented the plan to the board. "We want every single one of our teachers to have the ability to earn Teacher Incentive Allotment."

Why it matters: TIA funding is a state program enacted by House Bill 3 (2019) intended to retain top teachers by providing additional pay linked to performance. The board's approval will allow Canyon ISD to submit its TIA application to the state and begin calibration and training this summer, district staff said.

Key elements: The planning committee included 54 teachers and 23 administrators from across the district. The committee set three district decisions on: compensation distribution (90% to teachers, 10% for district expenses), eligibility (broad eligibility so most teachers can participate), and a two-year rollout for student-progress measures. Staff proposed that final ratings be weighted 50% on the district's formal appraisal system (T-TESS/TES) and 50% on student progress measures (pre/post tests, SLOs, or benchmark assessments). Cameron said the district plans calibration training for administrators this summer and ongoing evaluation during the year; Texas Tech will collect final data at year end.

Board discussion and questions focused on consistency of progress measures across grades and campuses. One trustee asked if different grade levels must use the same academic measure; the presenter replied that campuses should use consistent measures within cohorts (for example, NWEA MAP for third and fourth grades) so growth can be tracked year-to-year. Another trustee asked how final ratings and student progress data are collected and submitted; Cameron said principals compile evidence, finalize ratings, and district staff submit percentage results and appraisal distributions to Texas Tech.

State context: Presenters noted pending state legislation that could add an additional TIA tier; the district said the core calibration and appraisal work would not change if the state expands the tier structure. Cameron cited ongoing Senate activity (referenced in the meeting as "Senate Bill 26") but said the district's local plan and calibration will proceed under the existing three-tier framework until the Legislature finalizes changes.

Board action: Trustee Casey Posey moved to approve the plan; Trustee Mandy Palmer seconded. The motion passed 7-0.

What happens next: District staff said they will submit the TIA application after the board's approval, conduct administrator calibration this summer, deploy staff training at convocation, and implement year-one student-progress measures in the designated grades and content areas. Staff also said Texas Tech will send a staff survey in the fall as part of the TIA process.

"It is the administrative recommendation that the board approve Canyon ISD's Teacher Incentive Allotment plan as presented," Cameron said before the vote.