Hearne Elementary is a Texas Teacher Advancement Program School (TAP).  Texas TAP is a research-based school improvement model that seeks to advance teacher instruction and the achievement of their students.  TAP is based on research demonstrating that improved teacher instruction produces increased student achievement.  TAP provides time each week for teachers to participate in focused professional development on researched-based instructional improvement for increasing student achievement.  TAP measures student's performance based on value-added achievement growth - gains a student makes over time - rather than a snapshot of his or her performance on a single standardized test.  TAP allows teachers to give students more personal attention and helps teachers customize their teaching approach for each teacher.