In each edition of the TIA Tuesdays newsletter, we will shine a light on a TIA designated teacher in Alief ISD. This special section will provide an opportunity for designated teachers to share their unique experiences with TIA.

Teachers who earned a TIA designation will be awarded a bonus payment on their last paycheck in May 2025. TEA refers to these payments as “TIA allotments”.  The district does retain 10% of the TIA allotment to pay for the TIA growth assessments and employer fees associated with submitting teachers for TIA designations. The remaining 90% is subject to federal taxes and fees, including TRS contributions.   TIA-designated teachers will receive email communication from TEA in May, outlining their designation status and their total allotment amount generated.

National Board Certification

National Board Certification is a voluntary advanced professional certification for PreK-12 educators that identifies teaching expertise through a performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment. Teachers are certified based on standards set by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). 

For teachers who were certified in 2017 or later, National Board Certification is active for a period of five years. Prior to 2017, certification lasted up to 10 years. Current National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) nearing their certification expiration date can renew their certification for a period of five years through the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process.

National Board and TIA

Eligible National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) may earn a Recognized designation and generate an allotment for their district in April following their successful certification. The designation expires the July following expiration of the teacher’s National Board Certification. 

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Recognized TIA designation, NBCTs must:

• Be listed as a Texas teacher in the NBCT directory

  • NBCTs with an out of state directory listing must update their information by January 31 to be eligible for a designation that school year

• Be employed as a teacher by a Texas school district or public charter (coded as 087 (087 StaffClassification (formerly Role ID)) in PEIMS/TSDS)

• Hold an active National Board certificate

Earning Higher Designation Levels

National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who qualify for designation through their district’s local designation system may be put forth for any level of designation. TEA will default to the higher designation, and the Recognized designation will become inactive. In the case of NBCTs with two Recognized designations, the later expiry date will apply.

For more information, see: https://tiatexas.org/for-teachers/national-board-certification/

Alief ISD and National Board Certification

We are excited to announce that the National Board Cohort 5 is now recruiting 14 candidates for the 2025-2027 school year! This is a fantastic opportunity for dedicated educators who want to enhance their professional skills and earn National Board Certification.

To qualify for this cohort, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Be a CERTIFIED teacher for at least 3 years.

• Have completed three full years of teaching.

• Possess a valid state teaching license.

• Commit to teaching the same grade level and content for the duration of the cohort.

• Have a signed recommendation letter from your principal.

Please note that this is a serious time commitment, and only serious candidates will be considered. Teachers who fail to complete the two-year program or earn certification within three years must reimburse the district for costs already paid for their National Board certification.

An informational session will be held at the Center for Talent Development on April 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. to provide further details about the program and the commitment involved and answer any questions you may have. While attendance is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged.