The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) is sharply criticizing HSE Schools’ decision to participate in Indiana’s newly revised Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG) program, calling the system “divisive” and urging teachers to think carefully before applying.

The union shared with LarryInFishers a statement it distributed to its members last week, outlining strong opposition to the district’s involvement in the program. Earlier this school year, HSEA briefed educators on the major changes to TAG enacted by the Indiana General Assembly, then asked members a straightforward question: Should HSE apply for TAG this year? According to the union, the response was “nearly unanimous”—members overwhelmingly said the district should not participate.

HSE Schools is not required to apply for TAG funding, but districts that do must revise local policies to comply with the state’s new rules. The HSE School Board is currently reviewing proposed policy changes that would allow continued participation.

Under the new TAG framework, no more than 20% of a district’s teachers may receive an award, and eligibility is tied largely to demonstrating a “significant impact on student outcomes” using various assessment data. Many educators—including special education teachers, counselors, and arts instructors—do not have standardized test results tied to their work, raising concerns about inequitable access to the grants.

In its message to members, HSEA said districts feel pressured to apply because of years of limited school funding and political expectations placed on superintendents. “When the state starves public schools for years, any dollar the state dangles in front of them feels impossible to refuse,” the union wrote. “But let’s be clear: this money is no longer support. It is control.”

The union argued that in a year when teachers are not seeing meaningful raises, the decision to participate in TAG means only a small portion of educators—at most 219 in HSE—could receive the grant while the majority receive nothing. “That is not appreciation. It is division,” the message said.

HSEA further asserted that the new TAG structure “manufactures winners and losers,” undermines collaboration among teachers, and creates inequities between colleagues. The union said teachers across Indiana have rejected a program that labels only some educators as worthy of recognition.

The statement also echoed the Indiana State Teachers Association’s broader opposition to the new legislation, which the statewide organization says fosters competition rather than cooperation.

HSE Schools is preparing to update its policy to align with state requirements for participation in TAG.

HSEA ended its message by urging teachers to consider the implications of applying for the grant. “Real appreciation means investing in all teachers,” the union wrote. “Genuine appreciation shouldn’t be competitive, nor should it create divisions among us.”