Bullard ISD recognizes 29 Bullard ELITE teachers

Jacksonville Daily Progress, Texas
·2 min read

May 21—Bullard ISD recognized 29 teachers for earning Teacher Incentive Allotment designations awarded by the Texas Education Agency.

Funded in House Bill 3 by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019, the bill established an optional TIA system to provide incentive funding to help recruit, retain and reward exceptional teachers. Each local school system creates a TIA plan that awards state funding to teachers based on three designation levels: Master, Exemplary, and Recognized. Bullard ISD's approved local designation system uses data captured through student growth measures and teacher evaluations through the Texas Teacher and Evaluation Support System. After this data is submitted, TEA awards the designations.

Bullard ISD Superintendent Jack Lee and Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Hendrix visited the designees Thursday to inform them of their designation level and the allotment amounts. The designations provide monetary awards of approximately $5,000 for Recognized designees, $10,000 for Exemplary, and $19,000 for Master designees.

Overall, four teachers received Master designations, 10 received Exemplary and 15 received Recognized designations. Bullard ISD also has two teachers who earned Recognized designations while at their previous district.

Bullard ISD has committed to teachers receiving 90% of the TIA allotment amount generated for their campus, provided they are employed by the district at the time of payout. The remaining 10% will be utilized by the district to support TIA efforts at the campus.

"It is always exciting to recognize our outstanding teachers," Lee said. "We call teachers in our local TIA program 'Bullard ELITE' because they are Exceptional Leaders In Teaching Excellence. We have some of the best teachers in the state of Texas, and we are excited that TEA also recognizes this excellence by granting them a designation that will provide them with incentive funds for the next five years. These teachers are truly deserving, and we are extremely excited for them."

The 29 Bullard ELITE teachers and designations, listed by campus, are:

Bullard Early Childhood

Mary Ray, Exemplary

Bullard Primary School

Casey Acker, Recognized

Terri Brown, Recognized

Kristi Pudwill, Recognized

Merritt Stewart, Exemplary

Shelby Vance, Recognized

Bullard Elementary School

Tracy Dinger, Exemplary

Ashley Harrison, Exemplary

Megan Henley, Exemplar

April Hunt, Recognized

Hannah McCormack, Recognized

Melissa Roberts, Exemplary

Heather Seib, Recognized

Janet Simpson, Recognized

C'Aaron Stephens, Exemplary

Brandy Swinney, Exemplary

Christy Taylor, Exemplary

Bullard Intermediate School

Kenya Hohnson, Master

Lisa Langston, Master

Leslie Moore, Recognized

Bullard Middle School

Senoya Driskell, Recognized

Jennifer Heath, Master

Karey Moore, Exemplary

Susan Moore, Recognized

Michael (Brett) Murry, Recognized

Shae Powell, Recognized

Alison Walker, Master

Bullard High School

Jordan Pope, Recognized

Jennifer Roberts, Recognized