Texas lawmaker files bill to raise minimum teacher salary to $70,000

Authored by cbs7.com and submitted by Sumit316

AUSTIN, Texas (KOSA) - State Representative James Talarico (D-Round Rock) has filed a bill to help support teachers across Texas.

House Bill 3580 would raise the minimum salary for teachers to $70,000 a year.

Rep. Talarico explained his reasoning for the bill in a series of Tweets.

“When I was a public school teacher, I struggled to make ends meet. My coworkers drove Ubers at night and sold their blood plasma for extra money. Today I filed a bill mandating a minimum salary of $70,000 for every teacher in Texas. #txlege”

“Our teachers have endured a global pandemic, an economic collapse, and a deadly winter storm. They held our communities together through these historic crises. Teachers had our backs. Now we must have theirs.”

Rep. Talarico says he chose $70,000 because “Research indicates a $70,000 - $75,000 salary is the baseline income needed for emotional well-being.”

When I was a public school teacher, I struggled to make ends meet.

My coworkers drove Ubers at night and sold their blood plasma for extra money.

Today I filed a bill mandating a minimum salary of $70,000 for every teacher in Texas. #txlege pic.twitter.com/Kk8NuxxVNI — James Talarico (@jamestalarico) March 11, 2021

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Vihzel on March 13rd, 2021 at 16:18 UTC »

I can only imagine that the lawmaker filed the bill to have a conversation around teacher's pay and to look good politically because there is absolutely no way that will be approved.

Master-Potato on March 13rd, 2021 at 16:13 UTC »

Interesting. My wife has a masters + 30 credits and as worked at the same school for 14 years. She makes $62,000 and is probably the second highest paid person in the building. And this district pays higher then the ones around, it would be around a 10k pay decrease if she were to move to one of the smaller districts near us. Located in Idaho

JustWhatAmI on March 13rd, 2021 at 15:04 UTC »

Rep. Talarico says he chose $70,000 because “Research indicates a $70,000 - $75,000 salary is the baseline income needed for emotional well-being.”