February TIA updates

What’s New: TIA and T-TESS

After months of stakeholder engagement aimed at designing HISD’s TIA program, the Office of Talent is now partnering with leaders across the district to write the TIA application, which will be submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in April as part of Cohort F. Earlier this month, the Talent team launched an Implementation Task Force composed of leaders from across departments. The Task Force is finalizing outstanding details for the application and planning for TIA administration once approved. You can expect more details on HISD’s progress in the coming months.

The deadline for the second formal observation is Feb. 24. Following formal observations, appraisers will hold post-conferences with teachers to debrief and inform and guide the teacher’s future practices and growth. To date, we have received consistent positive feedback from teachers on the post-conference process and are excited to move forward with the evaluation cycle this semester.

About HISD’s move to T-TESS

At the beginning of this school year, HISD launched T-TESS as its new teacher evaluation system. Adopting T-TESS will allow HISD to provide teachers with thorough, consistent, and actionable feedback on their instructional practices aimed toward supporting teachers’ growth and development. In order to fully prioritize teacher growth, the HISD observation and walkthrough process has evolved in several ways. 

• Number & length of observations: two formal observations at least 45 minutes in length (one announced in the Fall, one unannounced in the Spring), unlimited informal observations 
• Conferences:
  • Goal setting conference
  • Pre-conference (before the Fall announced formal observation)
  • Optional: Mid-year conference (in preparation for the Spring unannounced observation)
  • Post-conferences (within 10 working days of each formal observation)
  • End-of-year conference

About the TIA

Two years ago, HISD announced its plan to apply for the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA). Since then, we’ve engaged HISD teachers, administrators, and staff in technical and design committees, administered stakeholder surveys, and held feedback groups to inform the details of HISD’s TIA design and implementation. Each month, we provide a monthly update to our community. All previous communication can be found on the TIA website.

TIA is a state-run initiative that supports the recruitment, retention, and placement of teachers through performance-based bonuses, particularly in high needs districts and schools. TIA will increase the total funds available in HISD for teacher compensation, support staff in schools where ongoing collaboration translates to student learning, and help us collectively ensure every child is served with excellence and equity. 

HISD plans a phased approach to TIA implementation over several years with the goal of having all teachers eventually eligible to be able to earn designation. In SY 2023-2024, teachers across all HISD campuses with select assessments will be eligible to earn designation. In future years, TIA will expand to teachers across additional subjects and grade levels. Given feedback from teachers that showed strong support for sharing TIA funds, non-designated teachers and teacher assistants at designated teachers’ campuses will also have the opportunity to benefit from TIA in Year 1 and beyond.

Thank you for all of your work and engagement. Please reach out to TIA@houstonisd.org with any questions or concerns.