AISD teachers could get double bonuses

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In 2005, state legislators passed a bill to reward teachers for student success in the classroom. School districts applied for grant money and came up with their own award systems, including the Austin Independent School District.

The money meant one thing for Webb Middle School teacher Celina Zamora.

"We've got to step it up a notch," said Zamora.

The third year science teacher created a standard for her own students to meet last year.

"You're gonna see where they were at the beginning and where they were at the end," said Zamora.

School-wide bonuses were also part of the incentive plan. Top campuses across the state competed with others similar in size on the TAKS test for a padded paycheck.

Austin used the grant money to expand a pilot program called REACH that initially got off the ground with local tax dollars.

It connects fresh teachers like Zamora with a more experienced mentor. The goal is to nurture and retain quality teachers who in turn produce quality students.

Zamora was one of 640 teachers in 11 AISD schools last year who won a stipend.

"I got a lot," laughed Zamora who would not reveal just how much she received, but it will definitely help with her new baby on the way.

The bonuses range from $4,000 to $10,000, however, not every teacher or school met their goals and $2.2 million remains.

"You have to budget as though everybody's gonna make it and then have a contigency for how to use that extra money," said Louis Malfaro, President of Education Austin.

In the district's contigency plan, outlined in a letter AISD sent the education commissioner last week, the leftover cash must be redistributed to teachers who already earned stipends last year.

"No heartburn over rewarding those teachers, they clearly did a good job," said Malfaro. "But it's not ideal."

In the letter, AISD tried to bargain with the Texas Education Agency. Michael Houser, AISD Chief Human Capital Officer, asked Commissioner Robert Scott to consider the following options:

1. Supporting Academically Unacceptable Schools
2. Using unallocated funds to support additional training and capacity building at schools participating in the grant
3. Carrying the money over
4. Returning the unallocated funds to the Texas Education Agency.

The TEA had not returned calls for comment as of Tuesday evening. AISD had not heard back from them either. Time is ticking away. The district said the leftover money must be spent by Feb. 28, 2010.