Resource Campus Designation

What is a Resource Campus?

• The Resource Campus designation is a turnaround school model established by HB 1525 during the 87th Texas Legislative Session and updated in the 89th.
• Resource Campuses utilize the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) Restart Model to improve student outcomes by:
  • incentivizing the most impactful teachers to serve on highest-need campuses,
  • implementing evidence-based academic programming, and
  • extending learning time. 
• This designation provides an opportunity to build a comprehensive plan for school turnaround that leverages existing and complementary school improvement actions, each of which has demonstrated measurable improvements in student growth and proficiency across Texas districts: 
  • Talent identification and strategic staffing through the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA),
  • Maximizing instructional time via the Additional Days School Year (ADSY), and
  • Adopting rigorous, research-based curriculum using High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM).
• Campuses eligible for the Resource Campus designation may generate additional district revenue to help sustain these innovative practices over time.

What are the Resource Campus Eligibility Criteria?

• A campus with at least 3 unacceptable performance ratings (D, F, and "Not Rated") in the last 10 years may qualify for additional, sustained state funding. To be eligible, the campus must implement a whole-school Resource Campus model that includes the following required elements:
  • Targeted Improvement Plan (TIP);
  • Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) turnaround plan implementation;
  • Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) - at least 50% of foundation curriculum campus teachers (ELA, math, science, social studies) must have a TIA designation;
  • Additional Days School Year (ADSY) - if elementary or middle school;
  • High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM); and
  • Staffing Requirements - 
    • Principals, assistant principals, and teachers must apply or reapply;
    • All foundation curriculum campus teachers must have 2 years of teaching experience; 
    • 1 counselor per 300 students; and
    • 1 appropriately licensed mental health professional.

Does it Work?

By utilizing comprehensive and proven strategies and initiatives, Resource Campuses strengthen student outcomes. The goal is to reach A or B accountability status within the first two years of implementation. 

• ACE has been implemented at over forty campuses, impacting more than 50,000 students. 
  • According to the TEA 2023 Annual Report, ACE campuses see substantial progress in accountability ratings, often transforming from F-rated to B-rated schools in a single year.
• ADSY students see more growth in reading and math than those who do not participate. 
  • In 2024, students attending ADSY saw a 3ppt higher growth rate on Math STAAR at Approaches or better (+1ppt for ADSY vs. -2ppt statewide) and 4ppt higher growth rate in Reading STAAR (+5ppt for ADSY vs. +1ppt statewide).
  • In 2023, ADSY programs offering 25 or more additional days saw an 11ppt growth in STAAR Math Meets level from 2022 to 2023, as compared to a 4ppt growth for ADSY programs offered fewer than 25 days, and a 2ppt growth for non-ADSY campuses statewide.
• TIA provides outstanding teachers with an accessible pathway to a six-figure salary. 
  • A recent TEA study conducted during the 2023-24 school year showed that designated teacher retention exceeded the statewide teacher retention rate by eight percentage points. 
• HQIM are SBOE-approved, aligned to academic standards, content-rich with clear learning outcomes, reflect evidence-based practices, and provide a full suite of teacher and student materials.
  • In 2024, a TEA CRIMSI pilot program utilizing HQIM found that teachers were four times as likely to show strong instruction and three times as likely to meet the expectations of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in comparison to national baseline data.

What is the Designation Process?

TEA will open the Resource Campus designation process in the fall of 2025 using the following process:

• Submit Letter of Intent
• Submit designation application
• TEA review and due diligence
• Designation acceptance

How does the Funding Work?

Resource Campuses are eligible for potential additional state funding as provided under Sec. 48.252. Each campus designated as a Resource Campus is entitled to receive the greater of either:

• The amount of state funding to which the district would be entitled, or
• the amount of state funding to which an open-enrollment charter school would be entitled.

Use the state aid template to estimate the amount for a specific campus (amounts for estimation purposes only).

More Information

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