McAllen ISD was proud to honor more than 200 teachers who were recognized under the state's Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program at a special event held Feb. 26 at the DHR Conference Center in Edinburg.
The TIA program was created in Texas to retain and attract the best teachers and reward them for their hard work and dedication in the classroom.
“We are very proud to express our heartfelt thanks to these dedicated teachers,” McAllen ISD Superintendent Dr. René Gutiérrez said. “This is the first group to be recognized and rewarded through the TIA program and we hope to recognize the hard work of many more in the years to come.”
Based on classroom performance data from the 2023-24 school year, these 213 amazing teachers from all 29 eligible campuses earned the TIA designation.
“It’s an honor to work in McAllen ISD,” Mariela Alvarez, a fifth-grade teacher at Thigpen-Zavala Elementary, said. “McAllen ISD prioritizes teachers and students and values education. It values excellence in the classroom.”
The designations will generate allotments ranging from $3,000-$32,000 for each of these teachers for the next five years as an addition to their annual salary. This comes out to approximately $2.1 million each year.
Brown Middle School math teacher Eduardo Reyna, an educator for 52 years, expressed his gratitude and shared on why teaching is a calling for many.
“More than the money, it’s the privilege of working with kids and helping them grow and develop into their future,” he said.
Those recognized at the event, included core content teachers in Math, Science, Reading-Language Arts plus Special Education Resource, Inclusion and Self-Contained teachers.
PHOTO CAPTION
Four teachers from Fields Elementary, Ericka Pena, Mayra Cabrera, Isabel Garcia and Erika Garcia, show their banners at the TIA Designation Celebration Feb. 26 at DHR Conference Center in Edinburg. McAllen ISD honored more than 200 teachers from all 29 eligible campuses at the event.