Conroe ISD has expanded its Teacher Incentive Program to include over 200 educators, offering significant pay raises to attract and retain high-performing teachers at economically disadvantaged campuses. This initiative aims to address funding gaps and enhance educational quality.
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Six years after Texas lawmakers paved the way for high-performing teachers to get significant pay increases, Conroe ISD is improving its Teacher Incentive Program, which currently benefits over 200 educators. Program organizer Terral Jackson revealed that 267 educators from 26 campuses are taking part in this effort, which aims to draw and keep talent in schools with low socioeconomic status.
The initiative fills in budget shortages while district assistance from the state is lacking. The Conroe ISD board adopted a new $711.97 million budget last month; however, it is $11.9 million short of what is needed and does not contain any additional state cash or employee raises.
Teachers can receive their designations in one of two ways: by passing the district's locally defined system, which was created using necessary components from the Texas Education Agency, or by earning a national board certification. Usually, the certification procedure takes two years.
Participating teachers receive annual allotments that range from $3,000 to $32,000, depending on the proportion of economically disadvantaged students in their schools. The district receives payment for these money from the state. The initiative, which was started in 2019 under House Bill 3, has been successful in rewarding and keeping outstanding teachers in areas with high needs.
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Volunteers who led the restoration of Conroe Community Cemetery have begun a long-term effort to restore New Home Cemetery near Willis, a historic African American burial ground dating back to the 1860s and tied to a former Freedom Colony.

Conroe City Council unanimously approved the purchase of 14 Chevrolet Tahoes and two drones—about $1 million total—to replace aging police vehicles and strengthen response capabilities, with SUVs paid from the Vehicle Equipment Replacement Fund and drones funded by federal seized-asset proceeds.