Rule Updates for Teacher Appraisals and Mentor Program Allotment

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) adopted amendments, effective February 6, 2024, to the teacher appraisal process to address changes in lesson planning responsibilities and to the mentor program allotment to redefine several terms and allow mentors for uncertified teachers.

Teacher Appraisal Process

Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, districts can use the Alternate Domain I rubric as part of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). The rubric was developed to address the shift in teacher responsibilities from lesson planning to lesson internalization.

Although districts will have a choice of which rubric to use, generally, teachers designing lessons should continue to be evaluated with the current Domain 1 rubric. Teachers using developed lessons from high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) should be evaluated with Alternate Domain 1 rubric. A teacher has the same rights to respond to or appeal written documentation from the Alternate Domain I ratings as for Domain 1 rubric ratings. 

The Mentor Program Allotment

 Several amendments were adopted to The Mentor Program Allotment, an optional, grant-funded mentor program available to districts, including:

• Beginning teacher is now defined as a “classroom teacher” instead of “teacher of record.”
• Classroom teacher includes an uncertified educator under Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 21, Subchapter B.
• A mentor teacher is defined as an individual who serves or has served as a “teacher” instead of a “classroom teacher.”
• The definition of “teacher” was added and is defined as “a superintendent, principal, supervisor, classroom teacher, school counselor, or other school district employee who provides direct instructional support to other teachers.”
• Lastly, the number of beginning teachers assigned to an individual who serves as a full-time mentor increased from six to fifteen.