Mass layoffs, school closures, and growing budget deficits continue to be the norm for Texas public schools. This is the price we pay for the Legislature’s failed bid in 2023 to pass a private school voucher program, a fruitless quest that killed a badly needed public school funding package in the process.
The 89th legislative session officially began last Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Texas AFT continued to advocate for our members’ needs. Our 2024 membership survey revealed that 68% of K-12 educators have considered leaving their jobs in the last year. When asked what could convince them to stay, just under 53% cited pay increases as their top response. This is why the “Right to Fair Wages” is a central part of our Educator Bill of Rights, and we wanted to provide an update on how that right is faring so far in this new legislative session.
Important Bills on School Employee Wages
- Sen. Sarah Eckhardt and Sen. Judith Zaffirini filed SB 572, which proposes a $10,000 annual salary increase for full-time state employees, which includes educators, and a proportional increase for part-time employees.
- Rep. John Bucy filed HB 237, which proposes a $10,000 annual salary increase for full-time state employees, that includes educators, and a proportional increase for part-time employees.
- Rep. Alma Allen filed HB 1413, which proposes salary increases for Texas public school employees, including teachers, librarians, counselors, and nurses, starting in the 2025-2026 school year, supported by additional state aid to school districts.
- Rep. Terry Canales filed HB 1694 which would expands eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits to include Texas school bus drivers and cafeteria workers.
- Rep. Terry Meza, filed HB 419 which calls for school bus drivers to receive a guaranteed minimum wage of $15 per hour.
The Best of the Best: House Bill 1297
Rep. John Bryant (D-Dallas) – a champion for public education and for educators and school employees – has filed an omnibus school finance and raise bill. Bryant’s HB 1257 introduces necessary and overdue comprehensive reform to the state’s school finance system.
Under HB 1257, the basic allotment per student would increase to $8,947, up from the stagnant $6,160 level set in 2019. Raising the basic allotment would ripple across school finance in powerful ways:
- Educator Pay: State law requires a percentage of allotment increases to boost salaries, lifting compensation for teachers, certified staff, and support staff.
- Program Funding: Allotments for special education, bilingual education, and career and technical education are tied to the basic allotment, meaning these programs would see automatic increases.
- Operational Costs: With most school budgets going toward staff salaries, a higher allotment would help districts manage rising inflation and operational expenses.
State law currently requires that at least 30% of any basic allotment increase must go toward raising salaries of teachers and other non-administrative staff. HB 1257 would ensure that at least 40% of any increase in the basic allotment goes to employee compensation, with 75% of that amount earmarked for raises for teachers, librarians, counselors, and nurses.
The bill transitions school funding from an attendance-based to an enrollment-based system, addressing the critical issue of uncounted students and helping districts better plan and staff their schools. Under the current attendance-based school finance system, over 516,000 students (9.3% of the state’s enrollment) across the state were uncounted in the 2023-2024 school year.
Currently, Texas teacher pay lags nearly $9,000 behind the national average and Texas schools receive $5,000 less in per-student funding. On average, their inflation-adjusted salaries are 6% lower than they were in 2015, forcing districts to struggle with recruitment and retention. HB 1257 would increase minimum teacher salaries significantly based on experience and certification levels, with starting salaries ranging from $40,000 for uncertified teachers to $48,000 for teachers with special designations.
The bill creates a new salary structure that provides automatic increases at five, 10, and 15 years of experience, with minimum salaries reaching $60,000 – $68,000 at 10 years of experience depending on certification level. Teachers with 15 or more years would receive additional 5% increases for every five years of experience beyond 10 years.
Bryant’s legislation aims to not only fund public schools enough to survive, but takes a holistic approach in meeting their needs to ensure our communities thrive. HB 1257:
- Creates a mental health services allotment that would help schools hire mental health professionals or contract providers
- Increases transportation funding to $1.50 per mile for regular routes reimbursement, supporting students living at least one mile from their schools – down from the current two-mile threshold
- Increases the per-campus base allotment, which would rise from $15,000 to $85,000.
This comprehensive reform package is particularly significant because it creates automatic inflation adjustments for school funding starting in 2026, helping ensure that education funding keeps pace with rising costs rather than falling behind as it has in recent years. The bill would also close the special education and school safety funding gaps by providing districts with additional funding to cover the difference between what they spend and what they receive under the state’s school finance formula.
The question you will hear is, can we afford it? In a state that has a nearly $24 billion surplus on top of its $194.6 billion budget, the answer is undoubtedly yes. The question is whether this Legislature is willing to shift its priorities to funding its public schools.
According to estimates from last session, a $1,000 increase in the basic allotment would have cost the state approximately $14 billion for the 2024-2025 biennium. The state had a $32.7 billion surplus last session that should have been used to supplement the $4.5 billion appropriated for additional public education funding. This session, we have a $24 billion surplus.
The crisis our schools face at this moment was preventable, the result of prioritizing political agendas over the needs of our children. The future of Texas depends on leaders who will stand up for public education and invest in its success, not abandon it for shortsighted schemes.