(The Center Square) – The first measure in a Teacher Bill of Rights package unanimously passed the Texas Senate on Wednesday.
SB 26, filed by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, allocates nearly $5 billion to implement pay raises for public school teachers. The bill also includes incentives for additional pay, liability protection, and other provisions.
The bill package is a legislative priority of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“Totaling almost $5 billion, this is a generational investment in our educators,” Creighton said. “No state has ever made a teacher pay commitment of this magnitude. If we want to recruit and retain the best teachers for our kids, we must make Texas the most attractive place in the country to teach.”
The key focus of the bill is to establish a permanent allotment to guarantee across-the-board salary increases. Pay increases are determined by the number or enrolled students in a school district and the number of years a teacher has been teaching.
In suburban and urban school districts with 5,001 or more enrolled students, teachers with three to four years of experience would receive a yearly $2,500 pay increase; those with five or more years of experience would receive a yearly $5,500 pay increase.
In rural districts with 5,000 or fewer enrolled students, teachers with three to four years of experience would receive a yearly $5,000 pay increase; those with five or more years of experience will receive a yearly $10,000 pay increase, according to the bill language.
Nearly 80% of all Texas teachers are eligible for a permanent pay increase through the school finance formula.
The bill also would allow public school teachers to enroll their children in their school’s pre-K program, if offered, for free.
It also would expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment to allow more opportunities for high-performing educators to earn over $100,000 annually.
The bill also would create a new liability protection program for teachers.
“Teachers should never have to choose between maintaining order in their classrooms and protecting themselves from legal concerns,” Creighton said. “This liability protection funding ensures they have the backing they need to enforce discipline and focus on what they do best – teaching.”
Because teacher compensation was declared an emergency item by Abbott, the Senate already debated the bill. On Wednesday, it received unanimous support.
Creighton also plans to file additional bills as part of the package. They relate to classroom safety and discipline, contract protections, and establishing a teacher residency program to match aspiring educators with experienced mentors to build a stronger public school teacher workforce.
“The future of Texas begins in the classroom,” Creighton said. “We owe it to our educators – and the students they serve – to rise above politics and deliver real, lasting change. This session, we will pass the Texas Teacher Bill of Rights and make our state the best place in America to teach.”