Texas Lawmakers Unlikely to Approve Substantial Pay Raise for Teachers Despite Budget Surplus

The proposals that would have provided bigger pay hikes did not get out of the House or Senate education committees, and the more modest bills remaining will not make up for the shortfall.

Lawmakers in Texas are running out of time to pass an education bill that will give teachers a substantial pay raise

Cecil Lanoux, a teacher at North East Independent School District in San Antonio, said he was excited about lawmakers potentially using surplus funds to increase teacher pay but now feels demoralized. Teachers’ unions criticized the criteria for awarding bonuses to rural teachers as unfair, with some pointing out that living costs are usually higher in larger cities. SB 9, which would provide $2,000 to all teachers in Texas and an additional $4,000 to those working in smaller districts, is designed to help rural teachers, as they are paid less than their urban and suburban counterparts.

Texas ranks 28th in the country in terms of teacher pay, $7,652 less than the national average

Teachers are asking for pay parity, with one kindergarten teacher from Snyder ISD saying that the size of the campus does not devalue their passion. To address the teacher shortage, other bills have been introduced to keep new teachers in the profession, make it easier for retired teachers to be hired, and reduce teachers’ out-of-pocket expenses for buying teaching materials.

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