Governor Greg Abbott has enacted House Bill 2, marking a significant increase in funding for public education in Texas. The bill introduces $8.5 billion in new funding and allocates $4 billion specifically for teacher and staff pay raises. The signing ceremony took place at Salado Middle School with over 175 educators, students, and parents present.
“Now is the time to make Texas No. 1 in educating our children,” Governor Abbott stated during the event. “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.”
Among those present were Chairman Brandon Creighton, Chairman Brad Buckley, Salado ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Novotny, Temple ISD teacher JoMeka Gray, Senator Pete Flores, several state representatives including Charles Cunningham and Paul Dyson, as well as Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath.
JoMeka Gray expressed her support for the legislation: “House Bill 2 is more than just policy—it is a promise to our teachers.” She emphasized its impact on the lives of millions of students across Texas public schools.
The new funding package addresses several key areas:
– $4 billion dedicated to teacher and staff pay raises
– $153 million aimed at expanding career and technical education
– $834 million allocated for special education reforms
– $648 million focused on improving early literacy and numeracy
Governor Abbott highlighted these investments as part of his emergency items declared during his 2025 State of the State Address. House Bill 2 aims to expand career training opportunities particularly in rural areas by increasing funds for high-demand fields.
Additionally, yesterday Governor Abbott announced that over $481 million from the Teacher Incentive Allotment had been distributed among more than 42,000 designated teachers across Texas during the current school year.
This legislative move builds upon previous school finance reforms initiated in 2019 by introducing additional high-impact funding strategies aligned with priorities outlined in Governor Abbott’s address earlier this year.
