Public schools in Texas are set to get $8.5 billion in funding. Here's exactly where the money will go.
On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation providing $8.5 billion in funding for public education.
Nearly half of that new funding will go towards teacher pay raises. The bill also provides funds to give support staff raises, while also pumping money into the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state program providing raises for teachers in high-need or rural areas.
Pay Raise Breakdown by District Size:
Large Districts (5,001+ students):
- $2,500 for teachers with 3–4 years of experience
- $5,000 for teachers with 5 or more years
Smaller Districts (fewer than 5,000 students):
- $4,000 for teachers with 3–4 years of experience
- $8,000 for teachers with 5 or more years
Lawmakers also set aside $135 million to help teachers pay for their certifications if they teach core subjects. The goal is to have only certified teachers teaching core subjects by the 2029-2030 school year.
Schools will see the amount of their basic allotment rise by $55 to $6,161 – that's how much schools get per student. Lawmakers also created a $1.3 billion allotment for basic costs to relieve budget issues and help pay for things like insurance premiums, utilities and costs outside the school district's control.
Money is also designated for school security, early learning programs, special education, career and tech education and charter school facilities.
