Those Who Can, Teach: IDEA's Master Teachers

"A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." – Brad Henry

Saucedo, an ELA master teacher from IDEA Brownsville, says he chose a career in education as a way to give back to the community. 

As an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, Juan Saucedo recalls having a strong desire to change the world.

"I WAS TAKING A MEXICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE in college, and when you're young and eager, you want to change the world," says Saucedo, an IDEA master teacher who currently teaches English/Language Arts at IDEA Academy Brownsville. "It was there where I learned how important an education was when it came to changing lives. I began to think about becoming a teacher because education would be my way of giving back and transforming communities."

Like Saucedo, a recent study found that most teachers rank "making a difference in the lives' of students" and "seeing their academic success" high on the list of rewarding aspects of the profession. Despite this, the nation is facing a growing teacher shortage. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 1 in 6 public school teachers leave the profession within the first five years, with even higher attrition rates for a teacher in highpoverty schools.

"Research shows that teachers with at least three years of experience tend to have their biggest spike in terms of performance," says Jennifer Meer, Vice President of Compensation and Benefits at IDEA. "Then it increases a little bit year after year, so it was important for us to find a scale that rewarded our teachers based on experience."

In June, the 86th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3, which would include raises for teachers. Through HB3, each school district in Texas would have the ability to reserve funding specifically for such pay raises.

IDEA elected to give an increase of $2000 for teachers with up to 2 years of experience, $3500 for those with 3 to 5 years of teaching experience, and $5000 for those with six or more years of teaching experience.

Meer says IDEA held strategy sessions on how to best compensate teaching staff with an emphasis on rewarding those who had been in the classroom longer. The three-year benchmark was a critical threshold for longer-term retention.

House Bill 3 includes the new Teacher Incentive Allotment, which provides districts, including charter districts, with increased funding to implement a merit-based evaluation and pay system.

IDEA's investment in improving retention of the top teacher talent in each region didn't start with HB3, however. IDEA spent a significant amount of time and effort over the last half-decade improving teacher retention. Five years ago, IDEA created the Teacher Career Pathway (TCP), which serves to recognize, reward, and support the development of all teachers at IDEA. While considering the structure of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, legislators discussed IDEA Public Schools' Teacher Career Pathway as an exemplary system, and IDEA CEO and founder Tom Torkelson testified twice about the benefits of our approach.

Now, as the Texas Education Agency is implementing the program, IDEA teachers and senior leaders are sharing lessons learned with the agency through a variety of advisory committees. Meer says the goal is to give teachers a long professional trajectory at IDEA through support, professional development opportunities, and a combination of rewards and recognition that are available as they grow as teachers in the classroom.

"We were recently at a school doing a listening tour with staff and asked what brought them to IDEA," Meer continues. "And our teachers repeatedly said it was the support offered that brought them here. It was the knowledge that they would have the coaching and feedback to succeed."

After spending a few years teaching bilingual students in Austin with the Texas Teaching Fellows organization, Saucedo chose to return home to the Rio Grande Valley.

"When I heard that IDEA Brownsville was growing and needed an ELA teacher, I was eager to learn more," Saucedo recalls. "So, I did my research and was so impressed. Everyone shared the same passion and truly wanted their students to succeed. It was a place where teachers were thriving. For me, this was the place to be."

Irma Gomez, a master teacher who teaches math at IDEA Academy Weslaco, says the quality of feedback and consistent support provided to teachers fosters incredible professional growth.

"A good teacher will take that feedback and use it to make themselves and their class better,” says Gomez. "The amount of support you receive as a teacher at IDEA is tremendous.”

Gomez and Saucedo rate their job satisfaction at IDEA highly compared to their previous teaching experiences. Each believes they are where they need to be as a professional.

Another example of IDEA's investment in retention as part of the Teacher Career Pathway is the 'Grow With IDEA' bonus that high-performing teachers receive based on several factors, including parent and student feedback, student performance metrics, and in-class observations.

Teachers who meet all criteria are promoted to 'master teachers' and receive a generous bonus. In addition, who have met all requirements for three or more years are named 'distinguished master teachers' and receive a $10,000 bonus each year they maintain their status.

Master teachers who consistently demonstrate excellence are also considered for the Teacher Advisory Council and the School-Based Decision Team. Both teacher leadership bodies lend their voices to help strengthen IDEA's efforts to get scholars to and through college.

"IDEA does a wonderful job supporting and empowering teachers," says Nadya Martinez, a master teacher who teaches AP Calculus at IDEA College Preparatory Edinburg. "The organization listens to teachers' needs and opinions and continually works to improve job satisfaction."

"IDEA differs from other organizations because the support is just there. They're committed to every student succeeding, but also the success and satisfaction of teachers," adds Saucedo. "Nothing is impossible. If we need something, they get it for us. This is the support I have experienced as an IDEA teacher."

Meer is glad to hear that teachers like Saucedo, Martinez, and Gomez feel supported.

"To have the best, high-performing students, we need the best, highest-performing teachers," says Meer. "At the end of the day, our students are the most important, and our teachers are closest to the students. They're the ones who are driving the impact and leading student success." ♦

Top: Gomez says the support IDEA provides its teachers is unparalleled. Bottom: Martinez says IDEA listens to teachers’ needs and opinions to boost job satisfaction year after year. 