Will raises for Texas teachers be considered during Governor Abbott’s special session?

One item not on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda: Pay raises for Texas teachers.

The item’s absence has gotten some attention as lawmakers prepare to head back to Austin Monday for their third special session. The call includes border security, banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and education savings accounts, a voucher-like program that would let public funds be used for private education.

The Texas State Teachers Association opposes vouchers and wants to see the agenda reworked to prioritize public education and public educators, said spokesperson Clay Robison.

“Leave vouchers off and put more funding for public schools and for pay raises for teachers and support staff,” he said.

Ahead of the special session, including in recent days, lawmakers from both political parties have expressed interest in giving Texas teachers a pay bump.

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to discuss legislation that includes “teacher compensation and funding for public schools” on Monday, even though the items are not on the governor’s call. The education committee takes up education savings accounts Tuesday. Abbott sets what topics are considered during special sessions.

A spokesperson for the governor did not return a request for comments by Monday morning. Requests for comment to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, who head the Senate and House, were also not returned.

Education savings accounts have been a top priority for Abbott.

“Together, we will chart a brighter future for all Texas children by empowering parents to choose the best education option for their child,” he said in a Oct. 5 statement, announcing the special session agenda.

In the final days of the legislative session, leaders in the House and Senate said they expected to take up teacher pay in the fall.

The remarks came after the regular session ended in May with no raises after the issue was entangled with the push for “school choice.” The House has previously rejected using state dollars for vouchers and other similar programs.

The possibility of a one time stipend was brought up over the summer as lawmakers debated property tax relief, but the measure wasn’t included in the final compromise bill that passed and went to Abbott.

Legislators want to give teachers a pay bump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in July, as lawmakers wrapped up an earlier special session.

“Of course the teachers expect a permanent raise, and we will have time in the fall I believe to give them a permanent raise and not just a one time raise,” he said.

Rep. Craig Goldman, a Fort Worth Republican who chairs the Texas House Republican Caucus, also said he thought there would be time, likely in October, where they could take up teacher pay raises.

“Everyone has talked about, let’s get there in October and see what we can come up with, with a plan that will give sustainable teacher pay raises to the teachers across the state of Texas,” he said in July.

Robison with the Texas State Teachers Association was hopeful teacher pay raises would be included on the session’s agenda and remains hopeful it will be addressed. He doesn’t want to see the pay bumps tied to vouchers.

Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar on Thursday updated lawmakers on available funds as they prepare to head back to Austin. Lawmakers will end the 2024-2025 budget cycle with $18.3 billion, he said in a news release.

“Not a penny of that should go to private schools, but a good portion of that should go to public schools,” Robison said.

But educators are not interested in “negotiating away the future of public schools for their current and future students in exchange a raise,” said Monty Exter, governmental relations director for the Association of Texas Professional Educators.

“There are no trades for vouchers,” Exter said.

The association would like to see standalone legislation for teacher pay raises, but recognizes that creating laws is a team effort and without the support of the governor or lieutenant governor, a bill isn’t going to pass.

“Teachers deserve a pay raise,” Exter said. “Students deserve better resourced schools. But ultimately, it is not in a current special session that we are likely to be able to get those things, particularly not without a voucher, privatization attached. We understand that’s going to be an issue where parents and teachers across the state are going to have to go to the polls during upcoming elections and prioritize those issues in their vote, in their candidate’s election.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.