Our Local Designation System

To ensure teachers have a comprehensive understanding of the local designation system, it is vital to include specific details regarding student counts and course eligibility. These factors directly impact whether a teacher’s data is valid for TIA consideration.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a TIA designation through Katy ISD's local system, a teacher must meet the following state and district criteria during the "Data Capture Year":

· Role ID: Must be coded as 087 (Teacher) according to the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS).

· Service Requirements:

Understanding how your instructional time translates into Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) eligibility. The Magic Number: 37,800 minutes.
- In Texas, a standard school year consists of 75,600 minutes. To be eligible for a TIA allotment, you must meet the 50% threshold, which is at least 37,800 instructional minutes.
- Are You Eligible?
  - Based on the district's approved Spending Plan, there are two primary paths to meeting the service requirement: (Sample Eligibility Pathways)
    - Full-Time Path:
      - Requirement: 90+ days at 100% of the day.
      - Minute Goal: 37,800+ Minutes.
    - Part-Time Path:
      - Requirement: 180+ days at 50% to 90% of the day.
      - Minute Goal: 37,800 to 68,040 Minutes.
  - Exclusions: Paraprofessionals and campus administrators are not eligible for TIA.

Student Growth Count & Validity Requirements

A critical component of a "valid and reliable" system is ensuring that the data set is large enough to accurately reflect a teacher's impact.

Minimum Student Count: For a teacher’s student growth data to be eligible for TIA, they must have a minimum number of ten (10) students with valid growth data. Structured Life teachers will only need a minimum of five (5) students with valid growth data. Additionally, the minimum student count will be considered valid for growth data if the students participate in the same grade and subject/content assessment providing the growth data.

- For example, an in-class support teacher would need to be providing direct instruction to at least ten (10) students in Grade 4 Reading, Language Arts (RLA) who will subsequently be assessed by the STAAR Grade 4 RLA assessment to be considered eligible.

- A non-example would be an in-class support teacher who instructs three (3) Grade 4 Mathematics students and seven (7) Grade 5 Mathematics students. Although the teacher has ten (10) students accounted for, the students will not be assessed by the same assessment for student growth.

Weights and Measures

Designations are calculated using a combination of two primary measures:

· Teacher Observation (T-TESS)

· Student Growth

National Board Certification (Alternate Pathway)

· Automatic Designation: National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) automatically receive an "NBCT designation" on their SBEC certificate. This designation is equivalent to the “Acknowledged” designation.

· Eligibility: Available in 25 certificate areas across 16 disciplines (Pre-K through 12th grade).

Eligibility Verification Resources

To assist with eligibility verification, the following resources are available:

· Full List of Eligible Courses (with Course ID #): A comprehensive directory of all teaching assignments currently eligible for the local designation system.

· NBCT Documentation Submission: Portal for teachers to upload their National Board Certification for district verification.

Next Steps for National Board Certified Teachers

Katy ISD staff who already possess a National Board Certificate should immediately contact the Human Resources Department (tiassupport@katyisd.org) to provide documentation. Those interested in starting the process are encouraged to visit www.nbpts.org to find the certificate area that best fits their current teaching assignment.

How Designations are Determined

Katy ISD uses a "holistic system" that balances classroom performance with student impact. The system is built on two primary measures required by state law:

1. Teacher Observation (T-TESS) Dimension 2 and Dimension 3

Eligibility – To be eligible for a TIA designation, a teacher must be identified as “Proficient” or better for each dimension within both Domain 2 and Domain 3 of the Teacher Observation tool.
- Proficiency Level Indicators
Summative Score: Designations are based on a teacher's Summative T-TESS scores.
Focus Areas: The evaluation looks at performance across the T-TESS rubric to capture high-quality instructional practices.
Calibration: The district uses rigorous calibration training for appraisers to ensure observation accuracy and fairness across all campuses.
Calibration Training Calendar with Strive Registration
Sample Calibration Scoring (Average) of Dimensions 2 and 3
T-TESS Rubric Guide: A teacher-friendly guide to the observation domains used for TIA.
Sample T-TESS Scoring of Domain 2 and Domain 3

2. Student Growth

· Individual Level: Growth is measured at the individual student level and linked directly to the teacher.

· Continual Process: Katy ISD views effective assessment as a continual process for advancement rather than a single event.

· Student Growth Measurement Tools: Katy ISD utilizes student growth as a core metric, viewing "effective assessment" as a continual process for advancement rather than a one-time event.

Note: Teachers may be concerned about how their data is matched. The district uses the Certified Accountability File (CAF) to link previous year performance (e.g., 3rd grade) to current year performance (e.g., 4th grade) to ensure accuracy. Additionally, STAAR/EOC re-testers are generally excluded from standard transition tables because they do not produce a reliable measure of annual growth.

· TIA Eligibility Checklist: A comprehensive checklist for TIA Eligibility based on the local TIA designation eligibility criteria including 1) Professional Role & Employment, 2) Course &

Teaching Assignment Eligibility, 3) Data & Performance Requirements, and 4) National Board Certification (alternative pathway).

The National Board Certification Pathway

National Board Certification (NBC) is a voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure. NBC has national standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certifies teachers who successfully complete its rigorous certification process. National Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas representing 16 different disciplines and four developmental levels and is applicable to most teachers in U.S. public schools. In an effort to encourage teachers to earn their National Board Certification, the state will reimburse fees paid to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards upon completion of the program. To learn more about National Board Certification, the categories for Board Certification and the TIA, please visit https://tiatexas.org/national-board-certification/. For general information about National Board Certification in Texas, please visit: National Board Certification in Texas: https://www.nbpts.org/texas/ .

For teachers seeking a designation outside of the local system, there is an alternate pathway through National Board Certification (NBC):

· Automatic Designation: Teachers who achieve National Board Certification automatically receive an "NBCT designation" on their SBEC certificate.

· Duration: Like local designations, the NBCT designation is valid for five years.

· Financial Support: The state will reimburse approximately $2,000 in certification fees once the teacher successfully passes all four exams.

o ESS Instructions: A guide on how to navigate Employee Self Service for related reimbursements.

· NBCT Documentation Submission: Portal for teachers to upload their National Board Certification for district verification.

· National Board Certification Directory – Self update personal information and district associations.

Additional Resources & Links

· SBEC Educator Certification Lookup: Direct link for teachers to verify their certificate status and any active TIA designations.

· FAQs: Link to a document addressing common concerns like designation fairness, observation accuracy, and calibration training (coming soon).