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Texas teachers hopeful for pay raise with Senate Bill 3

Educators said they’re cautiously optimistic hearing about the possible bump in pay. One thing for sure is they believe it’s desperately needed.

HOUSTON — Public school teachers in the state of Texas could see a big pay raise coming their way. Around 11,000 teachers in the Houston Independent School District would benefit from the raise.

Texas Senate Bill 3 would grant every teacher a $5,000 pay raise.

State senators are asking for $3.7 billion in public education funding to make this happen.

Educators said they’re cautiously optimistic hearing about the possible bump in pay. One thing for sure is they believe it’s desperately needed.

For example, Jackie Anderson has worked as a special education teacher for over three decades

“I do love it and that’s why I do it, but at the same time I don’t want to be living in the poor house doing it.” she said.

At the moment, Anderson teaches at Daniel Ortiz Junior Middle School.

She knows very well the highs and lows of being an educator.

“You have to make decisions when you get your check about what a priority is or you have to do like me, have three or four extra jobs to make ends meet,” Anderson said.

She said a pay raise would help every single working teacher and it’s long overdue.

“Our salaries have remained the same but everything else is going up,” Anderson exclaimed. “The cost of living is going up. Our medical insurance is going up. Everything we do on a daily basis is going up.”

Also, Houston Federation of Teachers president Zeph Capo said the Texas Senate’s proposal to give every teacher a $5,000 raise shows lawmakers are thinking about public school funding.

“Providing an across the board raise for our teachers is going to be a big step in the right direction but we’re still concerned in what those details are going to be,” Capo said.

He said local property taxpayers shouldn’t be the only ones to fund public education.

He believes lawmakers have enough revenue to make the pay raises work.

“They’ve got some funding to work with plus we have been hoarding away tax dollars and supports in a rainy day fund for a very, very long time,” Capo said.

Teachers like Anderson remain hopeful.

“I know it can be done,” she said. “They could do it if they want to. But will they do it? I’m praying with every teacher I’m sure in the state of Texas that it happens.”

Capo said pay is not the only issue affecting teachers.

He said a raise would help keep teachers from leaving for better paying jobs.

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