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Abbott Signs $8.5 Billion Public School Funding Bill

Taking effect in September, the law locks in structured pay raises for educators across Texas schools.

A kindergartener's classroom at Kennedy-Powell Elementary in Temple, Texas.
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Overview

  • House Bill 2 allocates $8.5 billion to Texas public schools, including $4.2 billion for teacher pay and retention and $500 million for support staff raises.
  • Teacher pay raises range from $2,500 for those with three to four years of experience to $8,000 for veterans in districts with 5,000 or fewer students.
  • The package also directs $677 million to early learning programs, $850 million to special education reforms and $300 million to bolster rural school resources.
  • Lawmakers approved a $55 per-student boost to the basic allotment and set aside $430 million for school safety enhancements.
  • Education advocates warn the funding falls short of district needs and express concern that the recently passed $1 billion Education Savings Accounts program may divert resources from public schools.