PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

DATE Grant Information Page

DATE Grant Information Subject to Change Based Upon Feedback and Approval From TEA and PAISD Board of Trustees

DATE Grant Documentation Logs

PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

*District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) for 2008-2009 School Year

Fact Sheet Overview:

• Created by House Bill 1, Article IV of the 79^th Texas Legislature in 2006 (T.E.C. Ch 21, Subchapter O, § 21.701).
• Appropriated $147.5 million in state funds.
• 510 eligible districts. District grant award amounts are based on the average daily attendance (ADA) of the 2007-2008 school year.
• District level planning committees will develop a district awards plan based on the district goals and strategic plan.
• Districts will determine which campuses will participate. If not a district wide plan, campus participation must be approved by a simple majority of the campus’ classroom teachers.
• Following the 2008-2009 school year, the TEA or a third party designated by the TEA through the RFP process will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of DATE.

Use of Funds

Teacher Awards

• TEA has earmarked $597,766 for a District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) program in Port Arthur I.S.D., which limits the award amounts that P.A.I.S.D. may offer. Therefore, only Texas certified teachers (by August 2009) will be eligible to participate in the award plan. Texas certified librarians and counselors will be eligible to participate as well, as they work closely with students and will assist in analysis of data.

• Funds should be distributed based on criteria that are quantifiable, reliable, valid, and objective. Criteria must be generally viewed as a measure of student excellence and quality. Scores from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS)/Logramos assessments will be utilized to determine award eligibility for Part I (Tiers I, II, and III) and Part II, Section A (Tiers I, II, and III).

• Utilize criteria to measure group/team impact on student achievement. Given the high stakes nature of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) assessments, award eligibility for grades 3-12 included in Part I (Tiers I, II, and III) and Part II, Section A (Tiers I, II, and III) will be determined by overall student performance on TAKS assessments for each respective campus across all subject areas tested. Students’ ITBS/Logramos scores will determine award eligibility for teachers of Head Start through grade 2. As outlined in the D.A.T.E. plan, award eligibility will reflect the following:

• High School—Awards for certified teachers of grades 10-12 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grades 10-12.

• Ninth Grade Campus—Awards for certified teachers of grade 9 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grade 9.   

• Middle Schools—Awards for certified teachers of grades 6-8 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grades 6-8.

• Elementary Schools— Awards for teachers of grades 3-5 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grades 3-5. However, awards for certified teachers of Head Start and grades PreK-2 will be contingent upon Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS)/Logramos results for grades K-2 (campus-wide), as outlined in Part I and Part II of the grant.

§         Head Start/Pre-K Campus—Wheatley elementary school does not serve   

students in TAKS-tested or ITBS/Logramos grade levels (K-12).

Therefore, in order to provide certified teachers on this campus with the

opportunity to participate, Wheatley’s Head Start and Pre-K teachers’ award

eligibility for Part II, Section A will be contingent upon district-wide elementary

ITBS test results for all students in grades K-2, across all areas tested, as

outlined in Part II of the grant.

• Career and Technical Education (CTE), Alternative Education, and Special Assignment Teachers (i.e., certified teachers who do not teach TAKS-tested subjects)—Certified teachers who do not teach TAKS-tested subjects at least four hours during a regular school day and/or do not administer TAKS assessments will be included under Part II, Section A (e.g., fine arts teachers, counselors, etc.). Therefore, in order to receive incentive pay, these teachers will be required to provide adequate documentation reflecting their direct impact on student achievement relative to a campus which met D.A.T.E. criteria for TAKS, as outlined in Part II, Section A of the grant (i.e., tutorials; satisfactory PDAS or other official district evaluation).

Part I Teacher Awards

• Maximum award amounts will be a total of $1,228 (less employee benefits, federal withholding, etc.) per certified teacher who meets criteria outlined in BOTH Part I and Part II of the district’s D.A.T.E. plan. For example, certified teachers of grades 3-5 whose campus meets the Part I, Tier I ($988) criteria and who complete at least 40 hours of professional development ($240 from Part II, Section B) during the 2008-2009 school year will be eligible to receive a maximum amount of $1,228 ($988 + $240 = $1,228), as indicated in the D.A.T.E. plan.  (Note: The gross amount may reflect approximately $1,062 instead of the $1,228 maximum pay because of benefits paid on behalf of employees [15.63% = FICA (7.65%), TRS (7%), TRS-Care (0.68%), and Worker’s Compensation (0.3%)]. Also, the approx. $1,062 gross amount is subject to employee paid deductions (i.e., FICA, federal withholding, TRS, & TRS Care), which will be contingent upon each individual. Therefore, award amounts may vary per individual.

EXAMPLE (PART I Teacher Awards):

Part II Teacher Awards

§         Maximum award amounts will be a total of $1,228 (less employee benefits, federal withholding, etc.) per certified teacher who meets criteria outlined in BOTH Part II, Section A and Part II, Section B of the district’s D.A.T.E. plan. Certified teachers included under Part II are considered those who do not teach “TAKS classes” and will be eligible to receive the maximum award amount for Part II, Tier I ($988), pending they are able to provide documentation that reflects their direct contribution to student achievement with respect to a campus group (e.g., grades 3-5) that meets its Part I, Tier I goal. That is, the certified teacher must provide documentation for the following in order to be eligible:

• At least two hours per week of tutorials before, during, and/or after school for a 12-week period (on same campus), beginning January 2009 and ending April 2009. Note: The grade level tutorials must align with “award-winning” campus. For example, if an elementary campus meets its Part I, Tier I goal for grades 3-5, the certified teacher included under Part II must document direct contribution to student achievement for at least one of the grade levels included (3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th).

• Satisfactory overall rating on the 2008-2009 Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) or other official district evaluation if PDAS is not the evaluation instrument used in the teacher’s annual evaluation (e.g., certified librarians, counselors).

In addition, if teachers included under Part II have a 96% attendance rate and complete at least 40 hours of professional development during the 2008-2009 school year, they will be eligible to receive a maximum amount of $240 for Part II, Section B. Note: Professional development participation must begin no earlier than September 2008 and end no later than April 2009.

Thus, the maximum award amount that qualifying teachers will be eligible to receive amounts to $1,228 ($988 + $240 = $1,228).  (Note: The gross amount may reflect approximately $1,062 instead of the $1,228 maximum pay because of benefits paid on behalf of employees [15.63% = FICA (7.65%), TRS (7%), TRS-Care (0.68%), and Worker’s Compensation (0.3%)]. Also, the approx. $1,062 gross amount is subject to employee paid deductions (i.e., FICA, federal withholding, TRS, & TRS Care), which will be contingent upon each individual. Therefore, award amounts may vary per individual.

EXAMPLE (PART II Teacher Awards):

Note: Certified teachers who are included in Part I cannot be included in Part II, Section A.

IMPORTANT NOTE: PART I AND PART II AWARDS

ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS MUST RETURN TO P.A.I.S.D. UNDER TEACHER CONTRACT FOR THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR TO RECEIVE ANY MONETARY AWARDS UNLESS RETIRING, AS INDICATED IN THE D.A.T.E. PLAN. ALSO, TEACHERS MUST BE CERTIFIED BY AUGUST 2009 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ANY INCENTIVE PAY.  CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO MEET CRITERIA WILL BE PAID BEGINNING FALL 2009.

Redistribution of Funds for Part I and Part II

Part I Funds

The district will redistribute un-awarded Part I funds equally among all teachers in Part I that met the required plan criteria. As indicated in the D.A.T.E. plan, all certified teachers must return to P.A.I.S.D. under teacher contract for the 2009-2010 school year in order to receive any monetary awards, including redistributed incentive awards. However, teachers who plan to retire after May 2009 are eligible to receive redistributed monetary awards if they meet criteria for incentive pay as outlined in Part I of the D.A.T.E. incentive plan.

            Note: For Part I of the D.A.T.E. incentive plan, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has required districts to pay a minimum of 60% of the total amount of D.A.T.E. grant funds allocated by TEA. The remaining 40% of the total may be awarded in Part II. The Port Arthur Independent School District (P.A.I.S.D.) plans to earmark additional funds in the event all certified teachers meet the requirement and the award amounts exceed the total amount allocated by TEA.  However, if 60% of the allocated funds provided by TEA are sufficient to pay all teachers who meet criteria in Part I of the D.A.T.E. plan, the total amount of distributed awards (awarded and un-awarded funds to be redistributed) will not exceed 60% of the total funds allocated by TEA. That is, the Port Arthur Independent School District will not be responsible for redistributing any amount budgeted in excess of the 60% minimum requirement for Part I.  Also, Part I award amounts may differ from Part II award amounts per individual.

Part II Funds

    1. Un-awarded Part II funds (Section A—Campus Improvement) will be 

               redistributed to certified teachers who met criteria as specified under Part II,

               Section A.

           2. Un-awarded Part II funds (Section B—Professional Development) will be

               redistributed to certified teachers  who met professional development criteria as

specified under Part II, Section B. EMPLOYEE ATTENDANCE MUST REFLECT AT LEAST 96% FOR THE 2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR IN ORDER FOR PARTICIPANTS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY INCENTIVE PAY FOR PART II, SECTION B. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE CONSIDERED.

              As indicated in the D.A.T.E. plan, all certified teachers must return to PA.I.S.D. under teacher contract for the 2009-2010 school year in order to receive any monetary awards, including redistributed incentive awards. However, teachers who plan to retire after May 2009 are eligible to receive redistributed monetary awards if they meet criteria for incentive pay as outlined in Part II of the D.A.T.E. incentive plan.

Important: Individual award amounts for Part II, Section A recipients shall not exceed the maximum amount awarded to a Part I recipient. That is, once awards have been disseminated per individual, the un-awarded amounts will be redistributed to all participants as indicated above, pending the maximum individual award granted does not exceed the maximum amount awarded for a Part I recipient. Any excess funds may be used for staff development purposes, other teacher incentive awards (e.g., perfect attendance), data capacity/reporting, as the Superintendent and/or D.A.T.E. committee deems necessary. Also, Part I award amounts may differ from Part II award amounts per individual.

Note: For Part I of the D.A.T.E. incentive plan, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has required districts to pay a minimum of 60% of the total amount of D.A.T.E. grant funds allocated by TEA. The remaining 40% of the total may be awarded in Part II. The Port Arthur Independent School District (P.A.I.S.D.) plans to earmark additional funds in the event all certified teachers meet the requirement and the award amounts exceed the total amount allocated by TEA.  However, if 40% of the allocated funds provided by TEA are sufficient to pay all teachers who meet criteria in Part II of the D.A.T.E. plan, the total amount of distributed awards (awarded and un-awarded funds to be redistributed) will not exceed 40% of the total funds allocated by TEA. That is, the Port Arthur Independent School District will not be responsible for redistributing any amount budgeted in excess of the 40% maximum requirement for Part II. 

District Requirements

·         Develop a district award plan with goals to improve student academic improvement, growth and/or achievement.

·         Provide matching funds (year 1: 15%).

·         Create an awards system consistent with district goals that address Target Campuses.

·         Demonstrate teacher participation in the development of the plan.

·         Secure district award plan approval from a district level planning committee, the superintendent, and local school board.

·         Establish performance measures consistent with district goals.

·         Participate for at least two consecutive grant cycles.

·         Participate in required technical assistance.

DATE Grant Documentation Logs