Texas House Bill HB218

Texas 2017 - 85th 1st C.S.

Caption

Relating to the salary paid to certain professional employees of public schools.

Impact

The bill introduces a structured salary schedule for teachers and other educational professionals, establishing specific salary benchmarks that must be adhered to by school districts. As per the bill, the Texas Commissioner of Education is tasked with determining annual salary levels for educational professionals and ensuring these are reflective of the national averages. This structured approach is expected to help improve recruitment and retention of skilled educational staff, thereby potentially having a positive impact on the quality of education in Texas public schools.

Summary

House Bill 218 proposes amendments to the Education Code, specifically relating to the salaries of certain professional employees within public schools, including classroom teachers, full-time librarians, counselors, and school nurses. The bill mandates that school districts must pay these employees at least a minimum monthly salary based on their experience level, aiming to improve compensation consistency across the state. Reports indicate that the salary structure should also align closer to the national average as determined by credible education statistics resources.

Contention

While HB218 aims to standardize and elevate teacher salaries in line with national averages, there may be challenges related to funding. Opponents of the bill may argue that enforcing a minimum salary standard could disproportionately affect school districts with limited funding, particularly in areas with high poverty levels. This could require additional state aid or incentivize schools to seek alternative funding to comply, raising questions about fiscal sustainability and equity in educational resources across diverse districts.