District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) for 2010-2011  School Year

GENERAL INFORMATION

Overview:

• TEA has earmarked $640,996 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 2011) 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 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).

• PAISD will 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) eligibility will be determined by overall student performance (per grade level) 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 Texas certified teachers of students in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 will be contingent upon TAKS results across all subjects tested for 1st Administration only in grades 9 (grade 9 TAKS), 10 (grade 10 TAKS), 11 (exit level), or 12 (exit level retests), respectively. Note: Teachers who teach more than one grade level will ­not receive incentive awards for more than one grade level that meets or exceeds expectations.

§  Middle Schools—Awards for Texas certified teachers of grades 6, 7, or 8 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grades 6, 7, or 8, respectively (1st and/or 2nd spring administration).

§  Elementary Schools— Awards for Texas certified teachers of grades 3, 4, or 5 will be contingent upon TAKS results for all students across all subjects tested for grades 3, 4, or 5, respectively (1^st and/or 2^nd administration). 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, 1, or 2, as outlined in Part I and Part II of the grant.

§  Head Start/Pre-K Campus—Wheatley School does not serve students in TAKS-tested or ITBS/Logramos grade levels (K-12). Therefore, in order to provide Texas 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 kindergarten ITBS test results across all areas tested, as outlined in Part II of the grant.

§  Career and Technical Education (CTE), Alternative Education (i.e., Texas certified teachers who do not teach TAKS-tested subjects)—Texas 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, physical education, dyslexia, co-teachers, counselors, and various itinerant teachers, 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).

§  Special Assignment Teachers (i.e., Texas certified teachers who do not teach TAKS-tested subjects)—Texas 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, physical education, dyslexia, co-teachers, counselors, and various itinerant teachers, 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).

IMPORTANT NOTE: PART I AND PART II AWARDS

·         Teachers who teach more than one grade level will ­not receive incentive awards for more than one grade level that meets or exceeds expectations.

·         All certified teachers, principals, and assistant principals must return to P.A.I.S.D under teacher, principals, and assistant principals contract for the 2011-2012 school year to receive any monetary awards unless retiring, as indicated in the D.A.T.E. plan. Also, teachers, principals, and assistant principals must be certified by August 2011 in order to receive any incentive pay. Certified teachers, principals, and assistant principals who meet criteria will be paid beginning Fall 2011.

Part I Teacher Awards

• Maximum award amounts will be a total of $1,228 (less employee benefits, federal withholding, etc.) per Texas certified teacher who meets criteria outlined in Part I of the district’s D.A.T.E. plan. For example, Texas certified teachers who meet 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 2010-2011 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 $1228 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.

Part I Principal Awards

• Maximum award amounts will be a total of $3000 for Exemplary school, $2000 for Recognized school, and $1000 for Academically Acceptable school (less employee benefits, federal withholding, etc.) per Texas certified principal who meets criteria outlined in Part I of the district's D.A.T.E. plan. Also the gross amount is subject to employee paid deductions (i.e., FICA, federal withholding, TRS, and TRS Care), which will be contingent upon each individual. Therefore, award amounts may vary per individual.

Part II Teacher Awards 

• Maximum award amounts will be a total of $1288 (less employee benefits, federal withholding, etc.) per Texas 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, Section A are considered those who do not teach “TAKS/ITBS/Logramos-tested subjects.” These participants 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 one grade level (e.g., grade 3 must reflect tutorials for grade 3) 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 the same campus), beginning January 2011 and ending May 2011. 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 grade 3, a certified teacher included under Part II must document direct contribution to student achievement for that grade level (i.e., grade 3). Note: Wheatley teachers’ awards are contingent upon district-wide kindergarten results. Therefore, they are allowed to tutor any students at Wheatley.

§  Satisfactory overall rating on the 2010-2011 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 2010-2011 school year, they will be eligible to receive a maximum amount of $240 for Part II, Section B. Professional development participation must begin no earlier than July 2010 and end no later than June 2011.

Thus, the maximum award amount that qualifying teachers will be eligible to receive amounts to $1228 ($988 + $240 = $1228).  (Note: The gross amount may reflect approximately $1,062 instead of the $1228 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. $1062 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.

Note: Employee attendance must reflect at least 96% for the 2010-2011 school year in order for participants to be eligible to receive any incentive pay for Part II, Section B. Extenuating circumstances such as serious health issues (i.e., personal and/or immediate family only) with accompanying documentation from physician(s) and/or death in immediate family may be considered.

Part II Assistant Principal Awards

·         Maximum award amounts will be a total of $1500 for Tier I Exemplary school, $1000 for Tier II Recognized school, and $500 for Tier III Academically Acceptable school per Texas certified principal who meets criteria outlined in Part I of the district’s D.A.T.E. plan.  Also the 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.

§  At least 40 hours supervision of ITBS or TAKS tested subjects before and after school.

DOCUMENTATION

Documentation Part I

Campus scores from ITBS and TAKS will be kept on file at both the campus and district. These scores will be used to determine teachers and principals’ eligibility to receive awards.

Documentation Part II, Section A 

DATE Grant Documentation logs from each Part II, Section A participant must be provided for the following: 

1.   Teachers - Two hours per week of tutorials before, during, and/or after school for 12-week period, beginning January 2011 through last testing date in May 2011 (Forms A, B, C).

2.   Declaration of grade level (Form G).

3.   Teachers - Satisfactory PDAS evaluation (or other official district evaluation instrument) for 2010-2011 school year (Form D, PDAS).

4.   Principals - Supervise ITBS or TAKS-tested subjects before and after school for at least 40 hours (Form H). 

Note: Award amount will reflect the same amount as that received by teachers on respective campus that met goal (e.g., $988 if campus (or district for Wheatley) meets D.A.T.E. criteria for Part I, Tier I). In order for Part II teacher participants to be eligible for awards, they must choose only one grade level in which they are planning to tutor by January 28, 2011.

Documentation Part II, Section B

40 Hours of Professional development (Form E). 

Submission of Campus Binders

Each campus must submit the campus summary (Form F) sheet in their Campus Binder to the district by the due date:

Redistribution of Funds for Part I and Part II

*All unused funds from the DATE Grant will be redistributed to teachers, excluding 5% that will be retained for staff development.

Part I Funds

1.      The district will redistribute un-awarded Part I funds equally among all teachers in Part I that met the required plan criteria.

2.      All certified teachers must return to P.A.I.S.D. under teacher contract in order to receive any monetary awards, including redistributed incentive awards.

3.      Principals must return to P.A.I.S.D. under principal contract for the 2011-2012 school year in order to receive any monetary awards.

4.      Teachers and principals who plan to retire after May 2011 are eligible to receive monetary awards if they meet criteria for incentive pay.

          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 and principals 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 and principals 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.      The district will redistribute un-awarded Part II funds equally among all teachers in Part II that met the required plan criteria.

2.      All certified teachers must return to P.A.I.S.D. under teacher contract in order to receive any monetary awards, including redistributed incentive awards.

3.      Assistant principals must return to P.A.I.S.D under assistant principal contract for the 2011-2012 school year in order to receive any monetary awards.

4.      Teachers and assistant principals who plan to retire after May 2011 are eligible to receive monetary awards if they meet criteria for incentive pay.

5.      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.

6.      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.

    Individual award amounts for Part II 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 professional development purposes, 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.

Final 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 and principals 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 and assistant principals 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. 

EXAMPLE (PART I, Teacher Awards): 

EXAMPLE (PART II, Section A Teacher Awards):

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

EXAMPLE (PART II, Section B):

EXAMPLE (PART I, Principal Awards):

EXAMPLE (PART II, Section A Assistant Principal Awards)