Laughter. Dancing. Surprise. Tears.
Emotions ran the gamut as 120 Ector County ISD teachers learned how much money they will get this year through the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA). In all, ECISD received $879,579 TIA dollars. The 120 teachers who earned incentives are spread across 31 campuses, and their individual awards ranged from $3,145 to $19,525. ECISD is the only Permian Basin school district receiving TIA teacher incentives this year.
Thursday morning, Superintendent of Schools Scott Muri hosted an ECISD Live broadcast and media event at Murry Fly Elementary School where 10 teachers were surprised with their award amounts.
“Today is a really, really big deal,” Dr. Muri told a gymnasium full of students and teachers at Fly Elementary. He said several years ago, the state legislature in Texas decided to set aside a large amount of money to recognize the teachers in the state of Texas “that grow kids the most; that are the most effective teachers in our state.”
Thus, was born, in 2019, the Teacher Incentive Allotment. The allotment amount per teacher is based on the level of academic growth their students attained, teacher instructional performance, and the percentage of socio-economically disadvantaged students at their school. There are three levels for which a teacher in Texas can qualify: Recognized, Exemplary and Master. In ECISD, 64 teachers are Recognized, 50 are Exemplary, and 6 are at the Master level, which is the highest designation. Not only does a qualifying teacher receive the TIA incentive dollars, they also have the Recognized, Exemplary or Master designation placed on their teaching certificate.
“I am so excited to be one of them,” said Memry White, a fourth-grade teacher and Fly’s Outstanding Teacher for the 2021-22 school year. She earned an Exemplary level designation and a check of more than $9,000. “I didn’t know it was gonna be this much,” she said, “but it’s a really good feeling and I feel so honored to be a part of this.
“I think it’s gonna make teachers stay in the job and maybe bring in new teachers. I think it’s an amazing incentive for teachers,” White added.
Following the press conference, Dr. Muri visited five more schools and presented the checks to the six Master level teachers. One of them, Christine Carrillo, a 5th grade math teacher at San Jacinto Elementary earned a bonus of more than $19,000. She called the presentation “emotional and special” and said, “I was trying really hard not to cry, but I didn’t do it, I couldn’t do it,” she said. “I think they even got emotional, too, the kiddos.”
The 10-year veteran teacher added, “It means a lot. The last couple of years I’ve been working long nights and long days for the kiddos and…it’s nice to be recognized and to be valued and to have that Master distinction on my certificate. That means a lot, the fact that your work has been noticed.”
The TIA was created by the Texas Legislature as part of House Bill 3 to provide a realistic pathway for top teachers to earn six-figure salaries and to help attract and retain highly effective teachers at traditionally hard-to-staff schools. ECISD began the rigorous TIA application process in the fall of 2019. The teacher’s data is collected one year, then verified by Texas Tech University and reviewed by the Texas Education Agency. The monetary awards are then dispersed the following year. In this first year of ECISD TIA payouts, eligible ECISD teachers are Kindergarten through 8th grade English Language Arts and Math, English I, English II, and Algebra I. Science will be added in the 2022-23 school year, and the district plans to eventually have all content teachers eligible.
“I’m extremely proud of the teachers who spend time every single day growing and developing kids,” said Dr. Muri. “[This is] a wonderful way to recognize their accomplishments.”
Read more about Teacher Incentive Allotment in ECISD at https://www.ectorcountyisd.org/domain/1039 and more from the state at https://tiatexas.org/.
News coverage of ECISD TIA Day
https://www.oaoa.com/local-news/education/ecisd/teachers-get-big-bucks-for-student-growth/
https://www.cbs7.com/2022/05/20/ector-county-isd-surprises-teachers-big-way/
Ector County ISD teachers earning TIA designations and incentives
Barbara Jordan Elementary
CASEY BOSWELL, Recognized
JENNIFER GAULE, Recognized
ANGIE KIRK, Recognized
JOLYNN LOGAN, Exemplary
Blanton Elementary
MINERVA CHAVEZ, Recognized
TRACI FUENTES, Exemplary
SHEILA BELL, Bonham MS, Recognized
MONICA OLIVAS, Bowie MS, Exemplary
Burleson Elementary
CINDY ALMANCE, Recognized
FABIOLA SOTO, Recognized
NANCY VILLANUEVA, Recognized
Cameron Elementary
KARINA LIGON, Recognized
RAMONA MATA, Recognized
GRISELDA MUNIZ, Recognized
LIZETTE REY, Recognized
CYNTHIA TALANCON LEAL, Exemplary
DIANA TAVAREZ, Exemplary
STEPHANIE JOHNSON, Carver Early Ed Center, Recognized
Crockett Middle School
PRISCILLA CASTRO MOLINA, Recognized
REINA DANICA DELOS REYES, Recognized
MENDE MAYS, Recognized
VALERIE STILES, Recognized
Dowling Elementary
SHERYL GARCIA, Master
JUAN NAVARRETE, Exemplary
WHITTNEY NEEMAR, Exemplary
EMMA HERNANDEZ, Ector College Prep Academy, Exemplary
ROCKY PHILLIPS, E.K. Downing Elementary, Recognized
SAMANTHA HUTSON, Blackshear Elementary, Recognized
Hays Elementary
MONICA AZCARATE, Recognized
LAURA GARCIA SMITH, Recognized
BETTY OVERTURF, Master
DEBORAH PINA, Exemplary
ASHLEY ROJO, Recognized
Milam Elementary
CHRISTY STARKES, Recognized
ANNALISA ZAPATA, Exemplary
YING ZHAO, Recognized
Reagan Elementary
AMELIA BARNES, Master
CATALINA BOBADILLA, Recognized
JENNIFER CARRASCO, Exemplary
KELLY DAVIS, Exemplary
CONNIE DRAGER, Exemplary
MARIA FIERRO, Recognized
ERIN FRANKLIN, Exemplary
ABBY GANN, Exemplary
JOHANA GONZALEZ, Recognized
ASHLEY HERRINGTON, Exemplary
JENA HOPKINS, Exemplary
MELANIE KEY, Master
JASMIN RODRIGUEZ, Exemplary
TERESA SPEER, Exemplary
BRANDY TAYLOR, Exemplary
TRINICIA WATSON, Exemplary
Buddy West Elementary
VICTOR GALVAN GUZMAN, Recognized
NORA GRIJALVA, Exemplary
JOHN LUCIO, Recognized
ISABELLA SOTO, Exemplary
Goliad Elementary
NAPOLEON ARMENDARIZ, Recognized
MARIA DELBOSQUE, Recognized
ANITA MCKAY, Recognized
Ireland Elementary
ANGELLE MUNDIA, Exemplary
CHRISTY PATRICK, Exemplary
MARTI SMITH, Recognized
LBJ Elementary
ANA AHRENDT, Recognized
PHYLLIS FAULKNER, Recognized
JAMI GATEWOOD, Exemplary
Lamar Early Ed Center
ELSA CHACON, Exemplary
ARLENE DENNEY, Recognized
LINA HERNANDEZ, Exemplary
JENNIFER MERRIMAN, Recognized
Buice Elementary
SAMANTHA BALLEJO, Recognized
JESSICA BROWN, Recognized
MARY CARRASCO, Exemplary
JENNIFER CONNELL, Recognized
SARA COX, Recognized
DAVID MORRIS, Exemplary
Fly Elementary
MYRANDA CLARK, Exemplary
KIMBERLY FULTON, Recognized
GABRIELA HARRIS, Recognized
JACQUELINE HERNANDEZ GARCIA, Exemplary
ARLEEN LIZARRAGA, Recognized
GRISELDA MONTES, Recognized
ARELY MONTOYA, Exemplary
DAILYNN PUENTE, Recognized
JEANETTE RODRIGUEZ, Exemplary
MEMREY WHITE, Exemplary
Nimitz Middle School
EMMA DOMINGUEZ, Exemplary
KIMBERLY JAMES, Master
ANNABELLE ROCHIN, Exemplary
MICHELLE THOMAS, Exemplary
PATRICIA HOLGUIN, Noel Elementary, Recognized
JELENE BALLARD, OCTECHS, Exemplary
Pease Elementary
LAURIE BRUNER, Exemplary
ANDREA CUE BADIOLA, Recognized
SYDNEY GARCIA, Exemplary
MARIA GONZALEZ, Recognized
SONIA MARTIN VELICIAS, Exemplary
MATTHEW MAXWELL, Recognized
KRISTIE MENDOZA, Recognized
MARIE RAMOS, Recognized
MAYRA VENEGAS REYNOSO, Recognized
Permian High School
JULIE DRAINER, Exemplary
ROLANDO GLORIA, Recognized
TERI RICHARDSON, Recognized
DAWNNA TALLEY, Recognized
VANESSA VAUGHN, Exemplary
Ross Elementary
SHEILA WILSON, Recognized
DANA BATTEN, Recognized
ANDREA BERNDT, Recognized
KELSA BERTRAND, Exemplary
MADDISON KENNEDY, Recognized
Sam Houston Elementary
PEDRO LAGUNA-OJEDA, Recognized
JULIE LOERA, Exemplary
San Jacinto Elementary
KAYLEA BROOKS, Exemplary
CARNISHA BROWN, Exemplary
AUDREY CARRASCO, Recognized
CHRISTINE CARRILLO, Master
MARGARET DUTCHOVER, Exemplary
ANDREA SALCIDO, Exemplary
Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School
NAYLA CARRASCO, Recognized
KAREN VICORY, Recognized
