AUSTIN (1080 KRLD) - The Texas Senate on Monday unanimously approved SB 3 by Texas State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, providing a permanent $5,000 annual salary increase for every classroom teacher in the state.
"It has been a decade since teachers received a small raise from the state," said Senator Nelson. "It's been two decades since they received a meaningful raise. It's time to give our teachers -- all of our teachers -- a raise."
The entire Texas Senate signed on as co-authors of the bill so its passage didn’t come as a surprise. The last minute amendment added by Nelson did though. “I’m going to offer an amendment to add librarians to this legislation…and as I said we’ve run the numbers, it will increase the fiscal note by $53-million.”
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick also celebrated the Senate’s unanimous support for the legislation. “Our productive economy has given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accomplish school finance reform and the nearly $4 billion investment to increase teacher pay across-the-board is the first step in accomplishing that goal.”
The bill now goes to the Texas House of Representatives for further consideration. House Democrats are calling for a $5,000 across-the-board pay-raises for all public school employees. House Speaker Dennis Bonnen supports block grants that allow the school districts to decide how to dedicate the money.