Teacher salary proposals

Several salary proposals have been filed, but the priority bills designated by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (SB 9) and Speaker Dade Phelan (HB 11) should be considered the most likely vehicles for teacher compensation enhancements. However, the specific language and structure of the proposals can change significantly throughout the legislative process.

Educators need to contact their legislators to let them know that the profession, including support staff and other non-administrative educators, needs an across-the-board increase. Incentive pay proposals such as the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) should not be considered a teacher pay raise. A compensation package should also include increased state contributions for health insurance.

HB 11 by Rep. Harold Dutton does not include an across-the-board increase. It replaces the current 21-step state minimum salary schedule with a schedule that provides minimum salaries based on ranges of experience, type of certification, and TIA designation. Click here for more details.

SB 9 by Chair Brandon Creighton does include an across-the-board increase, but the amount is left blank in the filed version of the bill. This section includes an additional increase (also left blank) for teachers in districts with fewer than 20,000 students. It includes similar provisions to those in HB 11 (above) regarding increased TIA amounts, and a new base level of TIA designation (“accomplished”). The section providing the across-the-board increase is set to expire Sep. 1, 2025 (so the required raise would only be guaranteed for the upcoming two school years). SB 9 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday, March 22.

HB 100 by Rep. Ken King includes the revised salary schedule as in HB 11. It includes a section providing that the minimum salary requirements do not apply to a teacher/counselor/nurse/librarian whose performance was found by the district to be “unsatisfactory.”

HB 770 by Rep. Alma Allen would provide a $4,000 across-the-board increase for employees subject to the state minimum salary schedule, for the 2023-24 school year. That new salary would be the minimum salary for future years for as long as the employee remains in the same district.

HB 1548 by Rep. James Talarico and SB 693 by Sen. Morgan LaMantia would provide a $15,000 across-the-board salary increase for educators on the salary schedule, and a 25% increase for other non-administrative employees. Click here for more details.

HB 4586 by Rep. Gina Hinojosa increases the basic allotment for school districts, and revises last session’s HB 3 salary structure to require that districts use 75% (currently 30%) of any increased state funding through the basic allotment to increase non-administrator compensation. Half of that amount must be used specifically to increase compensation paid to teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians with at least five years of experience.