The Pasadena Independent School District was awarded a $770,000 Texas Education Agency Educator Excellence Award grant to help seven schools continue the cycle of continuous student achievement.

Morales, South Shaver, South Houston, Sparks and Young elementary schools received the awards, along with San Jacinto and Southmore intermediate schools.

The purpose of the Texas Educator Excellence grant is to provide a system of financial incentives to award educators who demonstrate the ability to achieve higher levels of student academic achievement. The schools were chosen to participate based on their 2005-2006 high level of educationally disadvantaged students and a high level of academic achievement or growth in student achievement.

To receive the grants, each school has completed an extensive collaborative process with staff to design a program of incentive awards based on student academic achievement during the 2007-2008 school year. Beginning Sept. 6, each participant, eligible for an incentive award, will strive for their students to reach the academic goals established by their school. If a teacher’s students meet the academic goals and the teacher participates in collaborative instructional activities, he/she can be eligible for up to a $2,000 - $10,000 incentive award that will be distributed by October 15, 2008.