On Tuesday, after several months of gathering our members’ input, Texas AFT unveiled our union’s agenda for the 89th Legislature in 2025: a real Educator’s Bill of Rights.
That agenda is both ambitious, but it’s also quite simple. We asked our members not only what they needed to remain in their jobs but also what they considered essential rights for all Texas educators — certified and classified, in K-12 and higher education, active and retired.
Contrast that with last year’s Senate Bill 9, the so-called “Teacher’s Bill of Rights” filed by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe). If you’ll recall, that’s the bill that touted a one-time bonus for teachers as a “teacher pay raise” and offered nothing for paraprofessionals and support staff.
We tried to improve SB 9 many times, offering feedback in the Capitol from our members to no avail. So, this time, we’re taking things into our own hands and proactively offering real solutions for Texas schools.
Those solutions could not be more urgent. For years, we’ve sounded the alarm about the real crisis in our public schools: retaining and recruiting dedicated, qualified educators. After the 88th Legislature largely ignored those issues (and the recommendations from the state’s own Teacher Vacancy Task Force), the problem has worsened still.
As districts across the state enter the year with budget deficits, closed schools, and staff layoffs, educator burnout is at an all-time, quantifiable high. On Thursday, the Charles Butt Foundation released its 2024 Texas Teacher Poll, which found 78% of Texas public school teachers say they have seriously considered leaving their position in the past year, up from 58% in 2020.
The question is not, do we have a crisis on our hands? The question is, what do we intend to do about it?
“Every time that a neighborhood public school closes, our community loses,” said Wanda Longoria, secretary-treasurer of Texas AFT, at a Tuesday press conference announcing the Educator’s Bill of Rights. “Every time that a public school teacher quits the profession because they simply cannot take any more disrespect, our community loses. Every time a district is forced to lay off bus drivers or cafeteria workers or paraprofessionals, the people who know our schools and our kids so well, our community loses. And I’m here today to say that Texas educators are tired of losing.”
Texas teachers have long faced the challenge of low pay compared to the national average. But in recent years, there has been growing momentum around boosting teacher salaries through legislation at the state level. This fight for better teacher pay raises in Texas provides an insightful look into the broader issues of school funding, teacher recruitment and retention, and the prioritization of public education.
The Problem of Low Teacher Pay in Texas
For years, education advocates have pointed out that Texas lags behind most other states when it comes to teacher pay. The average teacher salary in Texas is nearly $7,500 below the national average. In fact, Texas ranks 25th in average teacher pay according to the latest data This makes it very difficult to recruit and retain talented educators
Low teacher pay impacts the diversity of the educator workforce and the experience level of teachers. In Texas teachers are more likely to leave the classroom within their first five years compared to the national average. High turnover rates disrupt student learning and incur heavy costs for districts related to recruitment and training.
The teacher pay gap also leads many educators to take on second jobs to make ends meet, A recent poll of Texas teachers found 40% take on extra work outside the classroom, Working multiple jobs leaves less time for lesson planning and connecting with families,
Legislative Proposals to Raise Teacher Pay
In response to the growing teacher salary crisis, Texas legislators have introduced proposals aimed at getting teacher pay closer to the national average. These efforts indicate a recognition that boosting school funding and teacher pay will require bold action at the state level.
In January 2023, State Representative James Talarico filed House Bill 1548 to give teachers a $15,000 pay raise. The bill also included raises for librarians, counselors, and nurses. House Bill 1548 gained significant attention as one of the most ambitious teacher pay raise proposals in Texas history.
On the Senate side, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick named teacher pay raises as a top priority for the 2023 legislative session. The Senate passed Senate Bill 2 to provide a $5,000 pay raise for all teachers and an additional $5,000 raise for rural teachers in 2022-2023. This aimed to address lower pay in rural districts compared to urban and suburban areas.
Additionally, Senator Jose Menendez filed Senate Bill 657 to create teacher incentives worth over $10,000 annually. The bill included scholarship funding to encourage more students to pursue teaching careers.
Texas’ $15 Billion Budget Surplus Adds Momentum
A major factor propelling the push for teacher raises was the massive $15 billion budget surplus in Texas heading into the 2023 legislative session. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle emphasized this surplus could cover significant investments in public education.
Advocates argued it made little sense for Texas to stockpile billions in surplus funds while schools faced staffing shortages and teachers struggled to pay their bills. Polling showed strong public support for utilizing a portion of the surplus to improve teacher pay.
According to State Rep. Talarico, “Texas is currently sitting on $47 billion worth of unused state funds. We can give every Texas teacher a $15,000 raise and still have HALF of the surplus left over.” This underscored how boosting teacher salaries was possible without major tax increases.
teachers Unions Voice Support for $15,000 Pay Raise
Powerful teachers unions threw their weight behind legislative efforts to secure a $15,000 pay raise for Texas educators. The Texas American Federation of Teachers backed House Bill 1548 as a bold solution to “pric[ing] educators out” of the communities where they teach.
Texas AFT leaders stressed that continual disrespect of the profession alongside low pay was fueling the teacher shortage crisis. The union compiled an Educator’s Bill of Rights outlining the pay, retirement, and workplace protections teachers required to thrive in their careers.
Raising teacher pay could also empower more educators to organize collectively to advocate for additional resources for their schools. Teachers unions see better pay as key to building their membership base to have a stronger voice at the Capitol.
Concerns About Sustainability of One-Time Bonuses
While there was broad consensus on the need to raise teacher pay substantially, some education stakeholders expressed concerns about the sustainability of utilizing one-time bonuses. If additional funding does not remain allocated for future years, the teacher retention challenges could persist.
For example, Senate Bill 2 provided for $5,000 teacher pay raises for 2022-2023 only. Teacher unions warned legislators against portraying temporary bonuses as long-term “pay raises” that would permanently increase base pay. Maintaining predictable salary schedules is crucial for recruitment.
To make meaningful progress, most experts agree permanent pay raises must be structured into the funding formulas and budgets of school districts. Otherwise, the surge of retirements and resignations driven by low pay seems likely to continue hindering Texas’ teacher workforce stability.
Ongoing Grassroots Pressure to Support Public Education
Raising teacher pay remains an uphill battle in the Texas Legislature due to reluctance among some lawmakers to significantly increase education budgets. Powerful lobbying groups also aggressively pursue diverting public funding into voucher programs and charter school expansion.
To counter these influences, teachers unions, parents, and community groups continue applying grassroots pressure on legislators to fulfill their constitutional duty to adequately fund public schools. Paying professional wages that retain experienced teachers is essential to ensuring quality instruction.
The fight for better teacher pay in Texas exemplifies how broader questions of educational equity intersect with practical workforce policies. Providing living wages for teachers means valuing public schools enough to invest in their success. If Texans maintain momentum, progress seems within reach to lift teacher salaries to a more competitive level.
What’s in the Educator’s Bill of Rights
On our website, you’ll find the full list of 10 rights, each with multiple educator-defined problems and educator-approved solutions. These will comprise the package of legislation we are already speaking with lawmakers about. In brief, though, these are the 10 rights that Texas educators consider essential to performing their jobs effectively:
- Educators have a right to reasonable working conditions with adequate time to teach in classrooms that are not overcrowded, and with workdays that do not consistently stretch into worknights and work weekends.
- Educators have a right to fair wages whether they are a classroom teacher making $9,000 less per year than their national peers, or they are a paraprofessional whose paychecks hover near federal poverty thresholds.
- Educators have a right to a secure retirement that affords them dignity after a lifetime of service and does not require them to come hat in hand every legislative session to beg for a pension that matches inflation.
- Educators have a right to quality, affordable childcare that allows them to stay in our schools nurturing their students without sacrificing the well-being of their own kids.
- Educators have a right to healthy, safe, and secure working environments free from the constant worry of gun violence or the guessing game of whether the air-conditioning will keep pace with Texas summer heat.
- Educators have a right to academic freedom and an end to book-banning and classroom censorship, as well as the attacks on tenure in higher education.
- Educators have a right to meaningful professional development that compensates teachers for continued striving within their profession and opens doors to support staff and paras to grow into new roles.
- Educators have the right to organize with their colleagues without fear of retaliation and with the knowledge that collective bargaining leads to better working and learning environments.
- Educators have a right to democratic representation and a seat at every table making decisions about our schools. That includes the repeal of legislation that allows an appointed education commissioner to undermine the will of voters by replacing their elected school boards.
- Educators have a right to freedom of religion in our schools without being forced by this state’s leaders to choose between violating their students’ constitutional rights or violating the state’s mandates to force religious instruction upon them.
Talk to Your Colleagues About the Educator’s Bill of Rights
Texas AFT has 66,000 members across this state, between K-12 and higher ed institutions and our retired educators. That’s a huge number, but it’s not enough to apply pressure on all 150 state representatives and 31 state senators. We need a movement, not a moment. That means your co-workers who aren’t in our union yet, as well as members of your community, need to hear from you why this legislation is so important.
Bill could provide pay raises for Texas teachers
FAQ
Will Texas teachers get a bonus?
The highest level of adjustments can net teachers nearly $30,000 in extra pay a year. As long as teachers continue to be recognized as high performers, the adjustments in pay are ongoing. It takes several years of work and data collection from district administrators to set up a bonus-pay system.
Will Texas state employees get a raise in 2024?
According to legislative staff, 72 percent of state employees make $60,000 or less each year. If you make $60,000 a year or more, you will get a 5% pay raise in September 202023 and another 5% pay raise in September 202024.
Are teachers underpaid in Texas?
Why Teacher Pay is a Critical Issue. There is a significant and persistent gap between Texas teacher salaries and the national average. On average, Texas educators earn over $9,000 less than teachers across the country and 23. 4% less than other college graduates in the state.
Will Texas teachers get a pay raise?
According to reports, the Senate passed a bill Thursday that would give all Texas teachers a $2,000 raise. Teachers in smaller districts and those who do an outstanding job in the classroom would get even more.
What was the last teacher pay increase in Texas?
Though, House Bill 3 (HB 3) was the last bill to raise teacher pay. It was passed by the state legislature in 2019. The HB 3bill provided for: $6. 5 billion in additional funding for public education, including $2 billion for teacher pay raises. An average pay increase of about $4,000 per year for Texas teachers.
Will Texas teachers get a $15,000 increase?
Teachers across Texas have welcomed the $15,000 increase proposed by House Bill 1548. Even though it may just be a one-time bonus, it’s a demonstration of prioritizing Texas state teachers. This move by Texas can be considered a step toward advancing and supporting teachers’ wages.
Should Texas pass teacher pay proposals?
The Texas American Federation of Teachers, which speaks for about 66,000 teachers, support staff, and college employees in the state, wants lawmakers to pass the pay proposals for teachers.
How much do Texas teachers get paid?
Teachers in smaller districts would get an extra $6,000 a year, putting their pay more in line with teachers in cities. In Texas, the average starting salary for a teacher is close to $60,000. However, Creighton said that many teachers start out making around $30,000. The bill would also expand the state’s teacher merit pay program.
What would be the minimum teacher salary in Texas?
Without any experience, his bill would raise the minimum teacher pay to $48,660. It would also raise the average teacher pay to $73,887. Learn more about the minimum salary schedule set by the Texas Education Agency. “This moment demands bold action and that’s what our state is known for,” Talarico said in a statement.
