The impact of assessments and accountability in the classroom: Video
Last month, the Senate Finance Committee held their first hearing on Article III of the budget, which included an overview of the Texas Education Agency. During the meeting, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath spoke about the Teacher Incentive Allotment and how it serves as a tool for recruiting and retaining teachers.
As an example of the importance of this program, Amanda Baehre, a seventh grade English teacher from Kerrville Independent School District, spoke about her experience in the classroom with the program during the Senate Committee on Education’s first regular session meeting of the 88th Legislature on March 1.
Amanda was awarded the Master designation — a distinction awarded to highly effective public school teachers — for her students showing 100% year of growth as measured by the STAAR exam. As a result, she received extra compensation through the allotment. Watch her testimony:
The Teacher Incentive Allotment helps ensure that the best teachers in the hardest to serve schools are paid the most money. Texas 2036 believes that there is an opportunity to expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment this legislative session to make sure that more teachers are eligible for the program, and that those who qualify are paid even more.
The next Senate Committee on Education meeting is Wednesday, March 8.