LOCKHART, Texas — As schools in Texas work to solve budget deficits for the upcoming school year, one school district is pivoting in the other direction.
Lockhart ISD unanimously approved raises on Monday, putting the district closer to its future goal.
A raise of up to 4.6% will be given to Lockhart ISD teachers as it hopes to have 30% of its teachers making $100,000 by 2028. According to the district, it already has four teachers earning $100,000, with more projected to hit the milestone in coming years.
Meanwhile, the school district's board approved a pay increase of up to 26% for all substitute teachers and an increase of up to 50% for substitute nurses.
Paraprofessionals and professional staff will also get a 3% pay raise on the midpoint of the new pay scale recommended by the Texas Association of School Boards.
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Texas school districts have blamed their budget issues on the state's Legislature, which hasn't increased the Basic Allotment for public schools since 2019. Basic allotment is the money issued to districts per student, which has stayed at $6,160 since 2019. Before that, a report from the Texas Education Agency shows the state's basic allotment has changed four times since 2009.
According to State Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin), Texas has $4 billion available to fund public schools as part of the state's historic $33 billion surplus. Those funds were never distributed because they were tied to lawmakers passing Gov. Greg Abbott's school voucher program.
Talarico said the next chance to increase state funding for public schools will be when the Legislature meets again on Jan. 14, 2025.
