Summer Planning: Preparing Your TIA System Before Students Return 

A successful Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) system starts long before students walk through the doors. Summer gives your district time to strengthen the people, processes, and systems that support a successful Local Designation System (LDS).

Preparing now helps ensure your student growth data is accurate, teachers understand the process, and campuses are ready for consistent implementation throughout the year. By planning ahead, you can reduce last-minute adjustments and start the school year with confidence.

Plan Ahead

Summer is the ideal time to review your Local Designation System and confirm everything is in place before school begins.

Start by updating your implementation plan and confirming key dates for assessments, observations, and data collection. Review your student growth measures to ensure they align with your approved system and reflect any updates for the new school year.

Next, build a clear assessment calendar that identifies testing windows and important milestones. A well-planned calendar helps campuses stay on schedule, minimizes disruptions, and keeps everyone working from the same timeline.

The time you invest in planning now creates a strong foundation for a successful year.

Prepare Your People

A strong TIA system depends on the people who implement it.

Before the school year begins, make sure everyone involved understands both the purpose of the system and their role in the process. Summer is a great opportunity to:

• Identify TIA-eligible teachers.
• Onboard and train new staff.
• Review updates to your Local Designation System.
• Update your district’s TIA handbook.
• Communicate expectations for the year ahead.

When campus leaders, appraisers, and teachers share a common understanding of the process, implementation becomes more consistent and everyone is better prepared for success.

Prepare Your Data Systems

Strong data begins with strong systems.

Review your assessment calendar, assessment blueprints, and observation schedule to ensure everything is complete and up to date. Plan calibration sessions for appraisers at least twice during the year to help maintain consistent observations across campuses. (See the sample calibration calendar below.)

Before students arrive, confirm that:

• Baseline assessments are scheduled.
• Teacher and student rosters are accurate.
• Data collection processes are clearly defined.
• Staff know what data to collect, when to collect it, and where to submit it.

Clear expectations and organized systems make it easier to collect high-quality data throughout the year.

Create a Monitoring Plan for Your TIA System

Don’t wait until the end of the year to evaluate your implementation.

Instead, create a plan for continuous monitoring and improvement. Consider forming a TIA committee that meets regularly to review progress, address challenges, and prepare for upcoming deadlines.

Scheduled check-ins provide opportunities to:

• Review beginning-of-year (BOY) and middle-of-year (MOY) data.
• Verify that student growth measures remain valid.
• Confirm that all components of the Local Designation System are being implemented with fidelity.
• Answer teacher questions and provide ongoing support.

Regular monitoring helps your district identify issues early and make adjustments before they become larger challenges.

Start Strong for a Successful Year

A successful TIA system doesn’t begin with data submissions or end with designation calculations. It begins with intentional planning before the school year starts.

By preparing your people, organizing your systems, and establishing clear expectations, you’ll create a strong foundation for consistent implementation and meaningful student growth data throughout the year.

The work you do this summer will help your district start the school year ready for success.