Over Half Million Dollars Rewarded to Crockett Teachers

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – Crockett Independent School District (CISD) awarded over $500,000 to educators at a ceremony held Monday, May 13. The monies came from state and federal programs the district has been working on for more than a year.

CISD Superintendent John Emerich said the district had been working with NIET (National Institute for Excellence in Teaching) for several years as part of their Teacher Advancement Program. NIET also provides federal dollars to incentivize outstanding teachers and school administrators. The program grades teachers based on skills, knowledge and responsibilities, based on the average of three scores given to educators during in-class observation sessions. 

School principals and assistant principals are scored based on observations of their performances during leadership team meetings. Other parts of the incentive awards are based on the school’s overall academics and money designed to help retain those who show they can make children excel in school. 

In all, $196,000 was awarded to 67 different teachers, principals and assistant principals, spread across the district’s schools, with varying amounts based on NIET criteria. Those who received the awards had to be a returning teacher and have been part of last year’s school year, when the data was collected. Grant receivers also had to have participated in voluntary weekly professional development at the district, as mandated by the program. 

With only three other schools participating in Texas in the NIET program, Emerich admitted it was a lot of work to make sure the red tape and paperwork was in order, something he said was worth it, when he was finally able to give the much-deserved award to so many of CISD’s finest. 

“It was very emotional, being able to give so many of our people this life-changing money,” Emerich said. “The whole idea is to be able to keep our best and brightest in the classrooms, working directly with our students, from pre-K, all the way through to graduation. It also helps keep teachers with us, since next year we will see the benefits of our scoring during the current school year.”

With so many beaming from the unexpected windfall, three other teachers received another financial reward for their hard work, this time from the state of Texas. 

In a multi-year effort, CISD sent their lengthy plan of achievement, which was eventually approved by the state, in an effort to receive state-approved stipends for outstanding teachers.  Students are tested at the beginning and end of the year to measure their academic progress in core subjects such as math, science and reading. 

The three from CISD to be awarded the state award were second-grade teacher Makayla Moore, who will receive an “exemplary” designation on her state teaching certificate, plus almost $70,000, paid out over the next five years. 

Eighth-grade history teacher Karen Butler received a “master” designation on her teaching certificate and almost $130,000 to be paid over the next five years. 

Ninth-grade biology teacher Pamela Randall will also receive the “master” designation, plus over $122,000 in extra pay over the next five years. 

While any taxpayer in the district will be grateful for the more than $517,000 given to educators from the state and federal governments, on a more human level, the payments left many with tears in their eyes, grateful the district stuck with the plan and the many hours to secure the funding and for the recognition many hard-working teachers deserve. 

For Emerich, it’s recognition – not only for the work which went into the various programs, but for the school and the educators on the ground, keeping students learning and motivated. 

Emerich said he saw the benefits first hand – the goal is to keep the best educators in front of students, shaping young minds – as one teacher confirmed, first-hand. 

“I was thinking of getting my master’s degree over the summer and maybe going into administration,” the teacher told Emerich. “With this, I don’t think I will do that. I can make more money with these programs and be able to stay in the classroom.”

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]