After 2.5 years of planning, data collection and analysis, Rapoport Academy is proud to announce it has received full district validation from the Texas Education Agency for its Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program.

The TIA program, created by the 86th Texas Legislature as part of House Bill 3, assists districts in recruiting, supporting and retaining highly effective teachers in all schools, with a special emphasis on high-needs and rural schools.

The TEA’s validation of Rapoport Academy’s TIA designation system advances the district's commitment to recruit, reward and retain teachers who provide an exceptional learning environment for students.

“As a small school that does big things, we have never been able to pay our teachers in accordance with the impact they make on children. This allows us to take those steps for the highest-performing members of our teaching teams. We know these educators do amazing work and now their paycheck will tell them that as well,” said superintendent Dr. Alexis Neumann.

The TIA program allows districts to designate teachers as recognized, exemplary, or master based on student achievement and other factors, with designated teachers receiving additional compensation. For the 2024-25 school year, several Rapoport Academy teachers at every campus are on track for a designation, and more are working toward qualifying for next year.

By mid-May, TEA will notify the school district and teachers who have been identified as earning a one of three designations: Recognized, Master, or Exemplary. The allotment for Rapoport Academy TIA designees will range from $5,732 to $25,340 according to TEA's allotment formula for the 2023-24 school year. The amount of funding a designated teacher earns varies by campus based on their designation and the socioeconomic needs of the teacher's campus.

In addition, instructional staff at campuses with a designated teacher will also benefit from this allotment. According to the approved Rapoport Academy spending plan, TIA allotment funds will be distributed to designated teachers in June and August.