AUSTIN, Texas — One Texas lawmaker is working to close the gap between what Texas educators and school administrators are paid across the state.
State Representative Carrie Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) filed House Bill (HB) 2562 to limit superintendents’ salaries to only two times the amount the highest paid classroom teachers in the school district make.
“We need to keep good teachers in our in our school rooms and not lose them to administration because of the pay,” Isaac said.
She said the intention to file the bill came after seeing that many school districts are struggling with school funding, but many superintendents are making three, four and sometimes five times more than the highest paid teacher in the district.
“Educators don’t get into the profession to become wealthy, we know that,” Isaac said. “I would like to see superintendents get into their profession because they are dedicated.”
In Isaac’s House District -which covers areas in Dripping Springs, Wimberly and New Braunfels- she said the average teacher is paid anywhere from $58,000 to $63,000. With her bill, superintendents in her district would be capped at around $126,000.
According to data from the Texas Education Agency, superintendent salaries across Central Texas can range from varying amounts. Austin ISD superintendent Matias Segura makes $315,000, Round Rock and Hays CISD superintendents make $350,000, while Lake Travis ISD superintendent Paul Norton made $418,000 before he recently resigned.
“I don’t believe that a better paid superintendent is going to transfer to better learning in schools,” Isaac said. “I’d like for their motives to be success of students, not wealth.”
Isaac said she modeled the pay cap for superintendents to be in line with what Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Senators make.
She expects her bill to be met with some mixed reactions, as it could result in major pay cuts for Texas superintendents. But she’s hopeful it’ll start more conversations about pay transparency and how much Texas teachers make.
“I believe that our teachers are the most important employees in a school,” Isaac said. “They have direct impact on our children.”
This month, Abbott declared teacher pay as one of his seven emergency items, meaning Texas lawmakers can pass bills related to these items during the first 60 days of the legislative session.
Isaac said HB 2562 is the first bill of its kind. It would also limit the salaries of any Chief Executive Officers in Texas school districts.