Technical Assistance Requirements

Educator Performance Pay Systems

Grant applicants are required to participate in statewide technical assistance administered by the TEA in conjunction with a national consortium of expert researchers, practitioners and policy analyst.

The primary goal of this technical assistance will be to provide Texas school districts and charter schools with ongoing applied guidance in developing and implementing successful, research-based educator performance pay systems. Technical assistance will provide ongoing applied guidance and help districts build capacity for long-term support of these programs.

The agency and technical assistance partners will provide eight regional workshops for participating districts to support the implementation of the D.A.T.E. grant program. Districts are required to attend at least one session in during the fall workshops. The workshops noted below will discuss the following:

  • Various ways to structure effective and meaningful performance-based award systems.
  • Research-based evidence on elements of an effective teacher incentive program.
  • Assessment of data capacity and building information technology capacity to support the program at the local level.
  • Calculation of student gains / value-added modeling.
  • Stakeholder engagement & communications.
  • Program implementation.
  • Program sustainability.

Districts are required to participate in one fall regional workshop by sending a team of at least two (2), but no more than five (5), individuals. The successful creation of a performance-based award system requires significant collaboration between multiple stakeholders and individuals with various domains of expertise. Thus, it is important that the team of leaders who attends these sessions include, but is not limited to:

  • Member(s) from their district planning committee.
  • Member(s) from the local school board.
  • Superintendent.
  • An instructional leader.
  • Teacher(s).
  • Principal(s).
  • Grant writer(s).
  • Staff responsible for data or research.

Working session participation will be tracked through the registration process. If a district fails to adhere to technical assistance requirements, the TEA may suspend, in whole or in part grant funds, terminate the district's participation in the grant program or impose other sanctions as determined by the commissioner.