Gov. Greg Abbott: The ‘very best’ teachers in Texas should make six figure salaries

Some Texas teachers could soon get a raise if Gov. Greg Abbott has his way.

Abbott this week suggested that the best teachers in Texas should be on their way to earning salaries around $100,000.

“We want to structure the compensation plan that would be the very best educators on the pathway to earning a six-figure salary,” TV station KXAN reported Abbott as saying Monday in New Braunfels. “That will reward good educators but, in addition to it, it will attract other people into the profession who will create a legacy of good educators.”

Abbott, who is up for re-election, made his comments during the first of two education roundtables, as millions of students across the state headed back to school. Abbott, a Republican, faces Democrat Lupe Valdez on the Nov. 6 election ballot.

It would be up to state lawmakers, who head back to work in January, to figure out to pay for the raises — without boosting taxes.

“I’m talking about strategies where the state will be providing the money, not robbing Peter to pay Paul, not putting additional burden on homeowners by increased taxes,” Abbott said.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 9:03 AM.