Texas Governor Greg Abbott is pushing to raise teacher salaries, saying it’ll help keep great educators in the classroom and improve schools. His plan includes direct raises and $750 million for the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA)—a program that rewards teachers with extra money based on student performance.
On the surface, this sounds like good news. But many teachers aren’t exactly thrilled. They’re saying: “A pay raise is great, but it won’t fix what’s really wrong.”
What Do Teachers Actually Want?
Most teachers will tell you they’re not in it for the money. They love what they do, but right now, the job is exhausting, overwhelming, and—according to many—becoming impossible to sustain.
Here’s what they say would actually make a difference:
👉 Smaller Class Sizes – A lot of teachers are managing 30+ kids in one room. It’s tough to give struggling students the help they need when there’s barely room to walk between desks.
👉 Less Standardized Testing – Teachers feel like their job is to teach to a test, not actually educate students. They want to bring creativity back into the classroom instead of spending months preparing for state exams.
👉 More Planning Time – Between grading, lesson planning, meetings, and mandatory training, teachers are stretched thin. They need actual time during the school day to prep, not just unpaid hours after school.
👉 Better Funding for Schools – Some schools can’t even afford basic supplies, and teachers are spending their own money just to stock their classrooms. A raise is nice, but what about fixing the lack of resources in schools?
👉 More Respect & Support – Teachers are frustrated that big decisions about education keep getting made without their input. They want a say in policies that affect their classrooms.
Is Abbott’s Plan Enough?
While a pay raise is definitely needed, a lot of teachers feel Abbott’s plan misses the bigger picture.
One of the biggest concerns? Most of the extra money comes through the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA)—which means raises are tied to test scores and performance metrics. Critics say this isn’t fair because teachers in low-income areas often face bigger challenges, making it harder to qualify for those bonuses.
