Teacher Workforce
Teachers make the difference. The quality of our education system and the long-term viability of our economy are inextricably linked to the effectiveness and diversity of our teachers. Teachers are the heart of our state’s public education system. Quality teachers impact students well beyond their academic growth. They impact their physical, social, and emotional health as well.
Raise Your Hand Texas supports elevating teaching as a career, treating teachers as the professionals they are, attracting and preparing a strong teacher workforce, and retaining quality educators in the field.
We need to provide teachers with a salary worthy of the expertise they provide in our schools and treat them like the experts they are by providing opportunities for teachers to be involved in policy decisions at the campus and district level. Giving teachers a way to lead on their campuses without leaving the classroom for an administrative role or leaving the field of education completely is one way to ensure our most-effective and experienced teachers remain in the classroom in front of students.
Providing these opportunities along with higher salaries and compensation will also help in recruiting new teachers to the profession. More can be done, however, to attract students to pursue teaching. Scholarship programs can make it easier for students to pursue a teaching career where they make an impact on the lives of hundreds or thousands of Texas students.
But simply getting and keeping our teachers in the classroom is not where the challenge should stop. We need to encourage our legislators to increase professional development opportunities for our teachers. Higher-quality development, innovative approaches to development, and mentoring programs are just some of the ways our state can invest back into our teacher workforce.
Where We Stand
2023 Teacher Workforce Legislative Priorities
Whether it’s serving as the inspirational spark, the content expert, the compassionate ally, or the patient listener, Texas teachers are the heart of our state’s public education system. Effective teachers guide our students’ academic growth as well as their physical, social, and emotional well-being. For this reason, improving recruitment, development, and retention of our most promising and dedicated teachers must be a top priority.
