Teacher Leadership & Compensation

On this page...

The Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) System rewards effective teachers with leadership opportunities and higher pay, attracts promising new teachers with competitive starting salaries and more support, and fosters greater collaboration for all teachers to learn from each other.

The overriding philosophy of the system is multi-pronged, but boils down to this: Improving student learning requires improving the instruction they receive each day. There is no better way to do this than to empower our best teachers to lead the effort.

Through the system, teacher leaders take on extra responsibilities, including helping colleagues analyze data and fine tune instructional strategies as well as coaching and co-teaching.

The goals of the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System are as follows:

  • Attract able and promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.
  • Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.
  • Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in schools and school districts statewide to learn from each other.
  • Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.
  • Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.

Every school district in Iowa has implemented a TLC plan. The state of Iowa has almost 10,000 teachers serving in a teacher leadership role.

Back to top

Funding

TLC Categories of Allowable Use of Funds

There are six categories of allowable uses for TLC funds as specified in legislation.

District Options for Utilizing TLC Funds

Guidance for Teacher Leadership and Compensation Choices

Option 1: Use all TLC Funds for TLC processes. 
In this model, TLC funds are used only for the continuation of TLC

  • Roll into the following year’s TLC account (July 1).
  • No board resolution.

Option 2: Use TLC funds for a combination of teacher salaries and TLC processes.
In this model, TLC funds are used for both teacher salaries AND for the continuation of modified TLC processes.

  • Roll directly into TSS (July 1).
    • Carryover and current year funds can be done.
  • No board resolution.
  • Iowa Code 257.10(12)d
  • Can be used for any TSS purpose.

Option 3: Use all TLC funds for teacher salaries.
In this model, TLC funds are used only for teacher salaries

  • Roll directly into Flexibility Account (July 1).
    • Carryover only. 
  • Board Resolution required.
    • Board hears that TLC funds were used per the TLC plan with a carryover.
    • Board hears how the rolled funds are going to be used out of the Flexibility Account. 
      • Use can be very generic (“For any purposes allowed for out of the Flexibility Account.”)
  • Iowa Code 257.10(10)d
  • Can be used for any Flexibility Account purpose.
Back to top

Plan Changes

How does a district submit a request to change its TLC plan?

School districts wishing to amend their TLC Plan should submit their requests now available on the Iowa Education Portal for superintendent and other TLC contacts. This application allows districts to house their entire updated plan. Districts may now access their original plan and update it with all previously approved changes. (Previously approved changes do not need to be reapproved; there is an option to record if change has previously been approved). Districts may also submit all new plan changes on the portal. Districts are asked to describe the change, the rationale for the change, and the level of support for the change. A link to supporting documents may be copied and pasted into the request. To access the application, log in to the Iowa Education Portal with your A&A account and look under the EdInfo menu for TLC Plan and Reporting. If you do not have an A&A account, select ‘Create an Account’ at the top of the login screen.

When do districts need to submit a change request?

If the approved TLC plan and enacted TLC plan no longer align, a change request needs to be submitted to account for that difference. In other words, if someone were walking through your district with your TLC plan, would what is approved align to what they see? If not, a change request needs to be submitted.

District TLC Plans – Select a district from a drop-down menu to view individual plans.

Back to top

Reports

End-of-Year Reports

Beginning the 2022-2023 school year, districts are no longer asked to complete an End-of-Year Report that is submitted to the Department.

End-of-Year Reports - View individual district End-of-Year Reports for the 2016-17 through 2021-22 school years. Select the district and school year from the dropdown menus to generate a report.

Annual Reports

Statewide End-of-Year Reports

The End-of-Year Report Summary are discontinued, as districts are no longer asked to complete an End-of-Year Report.

Back to top