The Senate gave unanimous approval to a bill that its author calls the largest teacher pay raise in state history on Wednesday. Another of Governor Greg Abbott’s emergency issues, the bill, SB 26 by Education Committee chair and Conroe Senator Brandon Creighton, would create a system where teachers automatically receive raises in their third and fifth year teaching. Creighton said the $4.3 billion proposal represents the largest single investment in teachers in the nation. “We can’t find another state in America that has put this much money together at one time for a teacher compensation package,” said Creighton. “We’re very, very proud and excited on behalf of our Texas teachers.”
The proposed raise would kick in next year, and would give a $2,500 raise to every teacher with three years teaching experience and $5,500 to those with five years experience. Under the bill, teachers at small districts with less than 5,000 students would get more $5,000 and $10,000 respectively – to close the urban-rural teacher pay gap. Creighton said that in some cases, experienced educators at small, rural schools are making less than the starting salaries for first-year teachers in urban districts. These raises wouldn’t be a