A Teacher Pay Raise Is Going To Happen

Look closely, Texas teachers are beginning to smile again, when the Texas legislature is mentioned. Okay, I know, it's hard for anybody to be happy with the legislature, especially teachers. You see teachers have been pleading for a pay raise for a long time and have until now have largely been ignored by legislative leaders. In my first year as a legislator I filed a teacher pay raise bill. We got some pretty strong opposition to the idea back then. That is putting it mildly because people were openly hostile to the idea. How the world changes when you got a competitive election for the governor's mansion. The bill I filed this time is joined by a good number of others**. This go round it's my opinion that teachers will receive that long awaited pay raise so many have been fighting for.

It looks like the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenent Governor have a basic mutual understanding about the pay raise. That's good for teachers, many of whom were holding out as long as they could in their chosen profession.

The last time the state increased their pay was in 1999. Teacher groups are seeking a raise of at least $3,000.

Senate and House leaders have so far agreed to raise teachers' pay at least $2,000 per year. Some Senate members are still seeking a $2,500 increase if enough revenue can be found. Their agreement also calls for a $300 million incentive pay plan for teachers and additional money for high schools to increase graduation rates.

Nothing is as simple as it looks, so be on guard that this pay raise will be added to language that may be offensive to the education community. House bill 1 coming back from the Senate may be the vehicle. Some of us are expecting some tough choices yet to come. In the end, I believe a teacher pay raise is going to happen.

UPDATE: Gov. Rick Perry said today (May 1, 2006) that he would support the $2,000 teacher pay raise agreed to by Speaker Tom Craddick and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

** House Bill 11 (Rep. Aaron Pena, D-Edinburg);
HB 21 (Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman);
HB 42 (Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels);
HB 52 (Rep. David Leibowitz, D-San Antonio);
HB 68 (Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston); and
HB 78 (Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville): $3,000 raise for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians.

HB 40 (Rep. Peggy Hamric, R-Houston): $3,000 raise for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians; the bill also converts the current health insurance supplement to salary for all employees, but increases it to $1,000.

HB 54 (Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands) and HB 56 (Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arlington): same salary increase as in SB 1 (above).

HB 77 (Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco): $6,000 raise for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians.

HB 79 (Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas): $2,000 raise for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians; plus additional $500 for other employees who currently receive the $500 health insurance supplement; the bill also includes a stipend for teachers at difficult-to-staff campuses.

HB 81 (Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola): extends the state minimum salary schedule to Step 30.

HB 83 (Rep. Hughes): raise of up to $2,000 for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians, subject to the amount of money appropriated for that purpose.

HB 88 (Rep. Dianne Delisi, R-Temple): provides a pay raise as follows: $2,000 for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians with less than 2 years of experience; $2,500 for 2-4 years of experience; $3,000 for 5-9 years; $3,500 for 10-14 years; $4,000 for 15-19 years; $4,500 for 20-24 years; and $5,000 for those with more than 25 years of experience.

HB 91 (Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie): $2,000 for teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, and educational diagnosticians in 2006-07, with an additional $2,000 raise in 2007-08. The bill also extends the state minimum salary schedule to Step 23.

HB 102 (Rep. Delisi): a comprehensive bill that includes the salary provisions from HB 88 (above).

SB 24 (Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler): same as HB 40 by Hamric (above).

SB 29 (Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso): $3,000 pay raise for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians.