Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
PHARR, Texas — At Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, academic progress is built around a straightforward principle: invest in excellent teachers, give students opportunities to succeed, and refuse to let economic circumstances determine educational outcomes.
That approach, led by Superintendent Dr. Alejandro Elias and carried into classrooms by PSJA ISD educators, has produced results that recently drew praise from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
PSJA ISD reports that 82% of eligible educators have earned a designation through the Teacher Incentive Allotment, or TIA. More than 345 district educators are earning six-figure salaries, teacher retention is nearly 98%, and all 44 PSJA schools have received A or B accountability ratings, including 27 campuses earning an A.
For Elias, those numbers reflect something deeper than individual statistics.
“It validates the work happening across PSJA ISD,” Dr. Elias said of the state-level recognition. “To have our schools and educators recognized at the state level shows that our students can achieve at the highest levels when they are given the right opportunities and support.”
Gov. Abbott pointed to PSJA ISD while discussing the Teacher Incentive Allotment and its role in rewarding effective teachers, retaining educators, and improving student outcomes.
“The teacher incentive allotment helps us retain the best teachers, hire the best teachers, and, in turn, leads to better student outcomes,” Gov. Abbott said before identifying PSJA as an example of the program in practice.
Watch a video from Governor Abbott’s visit below:
The governor particularly noted PSJA’s high teacher participation and campus performance, contrasting the district with Austin ISD. He said the difference was not the wealth of the community, but what he described as PSJA’s “commitment to excellence.”
That commitment begins with teachers, Dr. Elias said.
“We invested in our teachers, provided support, and built a system that recognizes strong instruction,” Dr. Elias said. “Our teachers embraced the opportunity, and today 82% of eligible educators have earned a TIA designation.”
The financial impact has been substantial. More than 345 PSJA educators now earn six-figure salaries while remaining in the classroom.
Dr. Elias said the district’s nearly 98% teacher retention rate demonstrates another important benefit of investing in educators.
“TIA gives great teachers another reason to stay in the classroom by rewarding their effectiveness and providing opportunities to earn more,” he said.
The connection between teacher quality and student performance is central to PSJA’s strategy. Dr. Elias said TIA is part of a districtwide strategy to strengthen instruction, support educators, monitor student progress, and align all campuses around shared academic goals. Those efforts have helped PSJA eliminate C-, D- and F-rated campuses.
“Today, all 44 schools are rated A or B, with 27 earning an A,” Elias said.
The achievement matters because PSJA serves communities where many families face economic challenges. Elias rejects the idea that those circumstances should limit expectations for students.
“We focus on opportunity, not circumstance,” he said. “Our responsibility is to remove barriers and make sure every student has access to excellent teachers, rigorous academics, college opportunities, and the support they need to succeed.”
Dr. Elias believes PSJA’s experience offers a lesson for other school systems: meaningful improvement begins with people.
“Invest in your people and believe in your students,” he said. “When you align strong teachers, strong leadership, high expectations, and opportunities for all, significant improvement is possible.”
Despite the recognition, Dr. Elias said PSJA leadership and educators are not treating the district’s accomplishments as a finish line. The next objective is to increase the number of highly effective teachers, move additional campuses to an A rating, and ensure students graduate prepared for college, careers, and life.
“We celebrate our progress,” Dr. Elias said, “but we continue asking what more we can do for every student and every teacher.”
