Brighter Texas

Under Governor Greg Abbott’s leadership, Texas is a national leader in education: 

• #1 for Tier One research universities at 16
• Top-ranked universities for business, engineering, affordability, and value
• #1 for National Blue Ribbon schools at 31 (2024)
• One of the best high school graduation rates in the country 
• Home to 10 of the top 100 public high schools in the U.S

Governor Abbott has secured more funding and resources for public education than any other Governor in Texas history. Working with the Texas Legislature since taking office in 2015, Governor Abbott:

• Provided more funding for public education and teacher pay raises than any other Texas Governor
• Achieved an all-time high for statewide per-student funding through landmark school finance reforms
• Established the Teacher Incentive Allotment, which has awarded over $575 million in pay raises to more than 25,000 teachers
• Created an Education Savings Account program for students with special needs
   

School Choice

Texas should be #1 in educating our children. In the 88th Legislative Session, Governor Abbott spearheaded a parent empowerment effort to give Texas families the power to choose the best education for their child. Working with the Texas Legislature, he signed key parent empowerment laws, including: 

• Expand parental access to curriculum, school libraries, and what their children are taught in the classroom 
• Banned inappropriate or explicit material in Texas public school libraries and school lessons 
• Allowed parents to determine if their child should repeat a grade level
• Expanded access to Education Savings Accounts for students with special needs

These new laws were just the beginning. 

Governor Abbott made school choice an emergency item for the Texas Legislature to address during the 89th Legislative Session. The Governor will continue to work with the Texas Legislature to provide every Texas family the ability to choose the best education path for their child by passing school choice once and for all.

Expand Career Training

To prepare Texans for in-demand careers like welders, plumbers, and electricians, Texas must invest in the workforce of tomorrow. Over the last two years, Governor Abbott worked with the Texas Legislature to develop a workforce ready to build a stronger Texas, including:

• Awarded over $15 million in Jobs and Education for Texans grants to support career training for high-demand industries
• Invested over $638 million to provide more Texans with the opportunity to gain the skills needed for good-paying, high-demand jobs
• Provided over $7 billion in 2024-2025 for career and technical education programs for middle and high school students
• Expanded workforce opportunities by creating the Rural Pathways Excellence Partnership and the Adult High School Charter Program  

For the 89th Legislative Session, Governor Abbott made expanding career training an emergency item to prepare students to go from graduation directly into a good-paying job. Working with the Texas Legislature, Governor Abbott will:

• Expand high-demand career training programs by increasing funding for the Jobs and Education for Texans grant program, Pathways in Technology Early College high schools, dual credit, and more
• Support rural school districts through increased funding for the Rural Pathways Excellence Partnership program to expand career training options and address regional workforce needs 
• Provide career and technical education funding for students enrolled in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs
• Invest in strategies to ensure students enter high school proficient in math and prepared to excel in career-aligned courses 

Raise Teacher Pay

Teachers play a key role in the success of Texas students and our state. They educate the next generation of entrepreneurs, scientists, and leaders, shaping the future of our state and country. Working with the Texas Legislature to attract, retain, and invest in exceptional teachers so students across the state can receive the high-quality education they deserve, Governor Abbott: 

• Created the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program to reward Texas’ best teachers by putting them on the path to earn a six-figure salary
• Increase the average teacher pay to an all-time high
• Invested over $500 million to enhance the state’s public school curriculum to give teachers more time to focus on instruction, support students, and reduce lesson planning burdens 

While average teacher pay is the highest it’s ever been, Texas must do more to attract and retain top talent and improve educator preparation and supports. In the 89th Legislative Session, Governor Abbott declared teacher pay an emergency item to fund and train the best educators and support first-time teachers. To accomplish that goal, Governor Abbott will work with the Texas Legislature to:

• Increase teacher salaries through a direct appropriation and other compensation strategies  
• Invest $750 million in 2026-2027 to expand the TIA program 
• Help mitigate costs for districts that hire retired teachers
• Invest in high-quality teacher preparation pathways, including Teacher Residencies, Apprenticeships, and Grow Your Own Programs
• Waive certification fees in high-need areas like special education and bilingual education
• And more!