Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) today released a report showing significant pay raises for Texas teachers for the 2019-2020 academic year as a result of House Bill 3 (HB 3). Statewide, Texas teachers who have more than 5 years of experience received an average pay raise of over $5,200, while teachers who have been working up to five years received an average pay raise of more than $3,800. It is worth noting that the pay increases are averages of all teacher raises in Texas; individual raises vary. The pay raises are part of a $1.1 billion annual investment in additional compensation that started last year for Texas teachers, counselors, librarians, and school nurses.
"Thanks to the historic legislation we passed last session, Texas teachers are already seeing a significant increase in their pay," said Governor Abbott. "When Texas students graduate, we want them to receive more than a diploma — but also the knowledge and skills they need to excel in college or a career. Thank you to Chairman Larry Taylor and Chairman Dan Huberty for leading the way on this critical issue, and thank you to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dennis Bonnen, and members of the Legislature who supported this bill. Their work is delivering meaningful results for Texas students and teachers, and helping our state recruit and retain the very best educators. The State of Texas will continue to enhance our education system and provide a quality education for every Texas student, regardless of zip code."
"As Lt. Governor, I promised teachers a pay raise and in 2019 I made it my top priority to invest $4 billion to raise teacher pay and ensure that teaching is treated as a profession, not a job. It was a tough fight but I delivered on my promise. Aside from a parent, nothing has more impact on the future success of a child than a teacher. Going forward, these pay raises will also help Texas continue to recruit the best and the brightest teachers anywhere," said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
"On day one of 86th Legislature, I declared school finance reform to be the top priority for Texas House members because our education system deserved serious, meaningful changes that would transform the lives of students and teachers. House Bill 3 put those objectives into action by finally compensating Texas educators like the professionals they are and by equipping school districts across the state with the resources to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers in our schools. This report is proof that it’s working," said Speaker Dennis Bonnen.
"HB 3 makes crucial investments in the most important factor in driving student outcomes: our classroom teachers. HB 3 raises the salary of all teachers- incentivizing new teachers to the profession and retaining our veteran teachers. It is my hope that this concerted effort to increase teacher compensation will allow more veteran educators to remain in the classroom where they can continue to change lives and share their expertise with junior colleagues," said Senate Committee on Education Chairman Larry Taylor.
"Coming from a long line of teachers and knowing how just one teacher changed the course of my life, it was critical that we compensate teachers as professionals. I was proud to be a part of this historic accomplishment and look forward to continuing funding teachers and their peers, so that they not only want to stay in the classroom but stay in the profession," said House Committee on Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty.
These pay raises are a result of HB 3, which the Governor signed into law during the 86th Legislative Session. HB 3 created an incentive pay program for teachers to be on a path to reach six-figure salaries, added career, college, and military readiness bonuses for school districts, funded full-day prekindergarten for students in poverty, and required all elementary school principals and teachers in kindergarten through third grade be trained on science-based reading instruction by 2021.
The bill also created a student-focused formula structure, where the needs of a child – not the child’s zip code – determine funding allocation. Additionally, the bill buys down property tax rates by an average of 8 cents in 2020 and implements a 2.5% property tax cap starting in 2021, which will result in a cumulative average tax rate reduction of 12 cents this biennium. HB 3 provided an increase of $2.7 billion in annual net funding for public education and school district budgets.
A link to each Local Education Agency's (LEAs) report to the Legislature can be found on the TEA website.
View the report.
