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

• Launched the largest day-one school choice program in the nation
• 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. During the 89th Legislative Session, Governor Abbott delivered on his promise to empower parents and expand educational freedom. The Governor worked with the Texas Legislature to pass historic school choice legislation and make transformational investments in public education, including:

• Launching the largest day-one school choice program in the nation with a $1 billion universal Education Savings Account program, giving every Texas family the power to choose the best education path for their child
• Investing a record $8.5 billion in new funding for public education and strengthening our schools statewide
• Providing a historic $4 billion for teacher and staff pay raises
• Passing the Parent’s Bill of Rights, putting parents back in charge of their child’s education
• Banning DEI from public schools and universities
• Removing explicit materials from schools
• Increasing parental control for their child’s internet access

Expand Career Training

To prepare Texans for in-demand careers like welding, plumbing, and electrical work, Texas invests in the workforce of tomorrow. Over the past 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 in grants 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  

In the 89th Regular Legislative Session, Governor Abbott made expanding career training an emergency item—and he delivered. Working with the Texas Legislature, the Governor signed laws to prepare students for the better job and bigger paycheck opportunities in Texas, including:

• Expanding career training education, especially in rural areas, with an additional $153 million so students can go directly into good-paying jobs
• Increased funding for high-demand career training programs, including the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program, Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH), and dual credit opportunities
• Provided dedicated career and technical education (CTE) funding for students enrolled in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs
• Invested in early math proficiency strategies to ensure students enter high school ready to excel in career-aligned courses and pathways

Raising 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. 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
• Increased 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 

In the 89th Regular Legislative Session, Governor Abbott successfully achieved his emergency item to raise teacher pay. Working with the Texas Legislature, Governor Abbott:

• Providing a historic $4 billion for teacher and staff pay raises
• Invested $750 million in 2026–2027 to expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program, rewarding excellence in the classroom
• Helped school districts cover the cost of hiring retired teachers, easing staffing challenges
• Expanded high-quality teacher preparation pathways, including Teacher Residencies, Apprenticeships, and Grow Your Own programs to strengthen the pipeline of future educators
• Waived certification fees in high-need areas, such as special education and bilingual education, to reduce barriers for aspiring teachers