Harlingen CISD is celebrating after receiving full system approval for the Teacher Incentive Allotment program on February 6.
On February 10, the qualifying teachers were brought together at the HCISD administration building for the announcement.
“It’s amazing to hear this,” Early Childhood Academy Pre-K teacher Moises Vargas said. “I was not expecting this. God is really good. It is such a blessing. I felt like it might never happen, but it did.”
The TIA program originated in Texas House Bill 3 and focuses on recruiting, rewarding, and retaining highly effective teachers in Texas schools.
There are a total of 229 designated teachers in HCISD.
The district ranks amongst the highest in Cameron County for approved designations.
“I am so excited,” Vernon Middle School teacher Patricia Garcia said. “I mean, we worked really hard. You know, I think that this isn’t just a great thing for HCISD. It is going to really motivate the teachers and inspire them.”
The final calculated allotment will be released later this spring, but it is estimated to be $2.3 million. Of that money, ninety percent is paid to the designated teachers, and ten percent is used for the district to support TIA operating costs and staff development.
“This approval speaks to the caliber of educators in HCISD and the commitment to student success in our classrooms,” Superintendent Dr. Alicia Noyola said to the group of TIA approved teachers. “I am just so incredibly proud of everyone, but beyond proud, I am grateful for what you do every single day for those students in your classrooms. It is because of what you do every single day that our kids will continue to be successful.”
