The Texas Senate has unanimously passed Senate Bill 26, a measure to increase teacher salaries to help retain experienced educators. The bill now moves to the House, which proposes pay raises for teachers in their third and fifth years and eliminates certain funding restrictions.
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Under Senate Bill 26, which received unanimous approval from state senators on Feb. 26, Texas public school teachers would be granted pay raises during their third and fifth years of teaching. The legislation seeks to enhance teacher retention and tackle pay inequalities between rural and urban school districts.
“We will ultimately negotiate those differences, but it is essential that we in the Senate are attentive to our districts, responsive to our teachers, and committed to providing direct funding, incentives, and compensation,” stated Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, the bill’s author.
The proposed legislation creates a permanent allotment for teacher retention, backed by around $4 billion in funding. In districts with fewer than 5,000 students, teachers would be granted a $5,000 salary increase after three years and a $10,000 increase after five years. In larger districts, the raises would amount to $2,500 and $5,500, respectively.
The legislation permits teachers to enroll their children in free pre-K programs. It eliminates the legal stipulation that mandates 30% of any increase in school funding be allocated to staff salaries.
Texas is presently positioned 15th in the country regarding starting teacher salaries, yet it falls short in compensating seasoned educators. Advocates are optimistic that SB 26 will address this disparity, especially in rural regions where educators depart for better-paying jobs in urban districts.
The bill is now on its way to the Texas House, where another measure regarding school funding and teacher compensation is under consideration.
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