Data shows Dallas ISD retaining a strong majority of its highly effective teachers

New data shows that Dallas ISD is retaining a strong majority of its highly effective teachers.

The Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI) identifies, supports and rewards effective teaching. There are seven current effectiveness levels under TEI: Unsatisfactory, No Level, Progressing I and II, Proficient I, II, and III, and Exemplary I and II.

Data shows that the teachers who earned a 2016-2017 effectiveness level of Proficient II or above, 93 percent were still with the district as of Sept. 1. Every Exemplary II teacher is still teaching in a Dallas ISD classroom.

Eric Hale, an Exemplary I teacher at Burnet Elementary, was a National Teacher of the Year finalist and met this month with Gov. Greg Abbott and members of an education task force. He said while TEI isn’t perfect, it is the most aggressive and progressive teacher evaluation system in the country.

“Dallas ISD and TEI are at the forefront of teacher compensation reform, and the rest of the educational community is watching and envious of our system,” Hale said. “TEI has compensated me for student achievement and going above and beyond for my learning community.”