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SB 9 and HB 11 - Supporting Texas Teachers

April 3, 2023
Teachers are the single-most important in-school factor for improving student academic performance. Unfortunately, Texas struggles to ensure every classroom has a fully certified teacher. In 2021–22, a combined 57% of first-time teachers in Texas held either a substandard intern certificate or emergency permit, (30%) or no certification at all (27%).[1]

Building on the work of the Teacher Vacancy Task Force that Governor Abbott appointed, the Legislature has several key opportunities to address both the short- and longer-term staffing challenges our schools face and to recruit and retain the most effective educators possible.

SB 9 by Senator Creighton and HB 11 by Representative Dutton are key to investing in and improving our state's teacher workforce – the workforce behind our future Texas workforce.
 
For years private philanthropy has been supporting numerous strategies to support Texas teachers. For example, members of Philanthropy Advocates have provided funding to educator preparation programs to innovate and measure their impact towards delivering high-quality, effective instruction for future educators.

View here a teacher residency program in the Gulf Coast region that Texas philanthropy supported.

Learning from innovation supported by Texas philanthropy, we know that practice-based clinical experiences, residencies, and effective mentorship are essential elements to preparing educators who then feel supported, impactful and like they want to stay in their classroom.

We are not alone in our desire to support Texas teacher. In fact, our recent statewide poll shows that 93 percent of Texans favor the state addressing teacher compensation, benefits, and working conditions.

Supporting Texas teachers through high-quality teacher preparation, increasing compensation and improving workplace demands will drive short-term and long-term sustainability and positive outcomes for our students and the state.
 
[1] The Texas teacher shortage represents a systemic challenge, Charles Butt Foundation. https://charlesbuttfdn.org/research/texas-teacher-shortage-systemic-challenge/

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