Abbott Signs $8.5 Billion Public Education Package into Law, Including Historic Teacher Pay Raises

Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed House Bill 2 into law, delivering record $8.5 billion in new public education funding, including $4 billion specifically for teacher and staff pay raises. The bill signing ceremony took place at Salado Middle School and included more than 175 educators, students, and parents.

“Now is the time to make Texas No. 1 in educating our children,” Governor Abbott said. “House Bill 2 ensures that our schools are funded better than ever, teacher pay and student funding are at all-time highs, reading and math performance will improve, and students will be better prepared for the workforce.”

The legislation, authored by Rep. Brad Buckley (R) and Sen. Brandon Creighton (R), reflects a broad commitment to increasing resources for Texas public schools. It includes targeted investments for early literacy, special education, career and technical training, and school safety, while also boosting base funding for districts statewide.

JoMeka Gray, a Region 12 Teacher of the Year and 2025 Texas Teacher of the Year finalist, spoke during the event.

“House Bill 2 is more than just policy—it is a promise to our teachers,” Gray said. “This legislation touches the lives of 5.5 million students enrolled in Texas public schools. It strengthens the teaching profession and largely supports the needs of special education students.”

In addition to pay raises and operational funding, the bill sets aside $834 million for special education reform, $648 million for improving early literacy and numeracy, and $153 million to expand career and technical education, especially in rural areas. It also allocates $430 million to enhance school safety measures and nearly $200 million for charter school facilities.

The legislation includes permanent pay raises for teachers, an expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, and incentives to support certification and high-quality teacher preparation programs. Abbott noted that over 42,000 designated teachers will receive more than $481 million in incentive funding during the 2024–25 school year.

House Bill 2 builds on the foundation of the 2019 school finance overhaul and reflects priorities Abbott outlined in his 2025 State of the State Address, where he named teacher pay and career readiness as emergency items.

“This is about more than dollars—it’s about changing the trajectory of public education in Texas,” Abbott said. “The foundation is now in place for Texas education to start climbing the ranks.”