Texas public school teachers will receive a minimum pay raise of $800 thanks to a $2 billion allotment awarded by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
President Obama signed the bill on Feb. 17.
“This is great news for Texas teachers,” said U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, “These funds will not only give Texas public school teachers a much-deserved pay raise, it will save jobs, and help school districts budget for the upcoming school year.
“Ensuring our teachers, students and schools have the resources they need during these tough economic times will help our children succeed, strengthen our economy over the long term, and invest in reform of our education system.”
Edwards said he and members of the Texas Democratic delegation worked closely with Duncan, who approved the $2 billion in stimulus funds for Texas.
The funding includes raises for teachers and $300 million for textbooks.
The funding is in addition to $1.7 billion Texas school districts received from the ARRA earlier this year.
“The Recovery Act was designed to meet two critical challenges,” Duncan said. “Rescue the economy from the immediate peril it faces and invest in the building blocks of a strong economy. The Recovery Act investments in our students and our schools will have a huge payoff in the years ahead.”
Duncan called the $2 billion amount the largest single boost in education funding in recent memory.
“The president’s leadership and support from Congress have made this historic investment possible,” Duncan said. “Texas can now utilize these funds to save jobs and lay the groundwork for a generation of education reform.”
Education
Teachers to receive $800 pay raise
- Cleburne ISD
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Coleman Elementary School science teacher Suzanne Crocker, left, and Principal Karen Snyder give trustees information on a $30,000 grant made available to the school from Chesapeake Energy. The grant funds will be used in the creation of an outdoor learning center at the campus.
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CISD hires Wheat principal, joins litigation
Wheat Middle School students have a new principal as of Monday night, but it’s a familiar face. At the Cleburne ISD board meeting, trustees announced that Interim Principal Suzanne Keesee was promoted to principal.
- Students create masterpieces through fingerprint artwork
- Miller addresses Young, board, hiring process
- In the spirit
- Alleged posts may spell trouble for trustee
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CISD hires Wheat principal, joins litigation
- Alvarado ISD
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Bryson King helps pick up trash on Friday with his fellow first-grade students from Alvarado Elementary North.
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AEN students serve community
School is not always about learning letters and numbers or finding the answers to questions in a book.
- Annual AEIS report shows improvements
- Choir, band students earn state recognition
- AISD board reviews super
- Alvarado board honors teachers
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AEN students serve community
- Burleson ISD
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BISD heads to Austin to plan next step in lawsuit
The Burleson school district and other representatives from a coalition of Texas urban and suburban districts head to Austin on Sunday, seeking a court order that the state’s finance system be changed.
- Centennial students chosen for all-state band
- Burleson ISD dropout rate remains low
- Most school districts celebrate Christmas
- BISD needs to make cuts, says financial officer
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BISD heads to Austin to plan next step in lawsuit
- Godley ISD
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Parents want ISDs to be aware
Stephanie Falter and Lisa Chambers, two concerned Godley ISD mothers, said they are pleased their children no longer wait for the bus in front of sex offenders’ homes.
- GISD bus stops moved, deemed safe by district
- Dear in new role as GISD super
- Godley ag students learn how to feed, shear livestock
- Most school districts celebrate Christmas
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Parents want ISDs to be aware
- Grandview ISD
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Grandview Zebra Strings Elite teacher and conductor Vicki Nichols shows off a wall of practice violins in her music room. The Strings are headed to Nashville, Tenn., in March.
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Zebra Strings to perform at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville
Last year, the Grandview Zebra Strings Elite visited the land of all things Elvis in Memphis, Tenn., where they played several shows including one at Graceland. This year, they’ve been invited to perform at an even bigger venue.
- Grandview school board selects super
- Most school districts celebrate Christmas
- Masons give first-graders dental care kits
- Tekell named Grandview homecoming queen
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Zebra Strings to perform at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville
- Joshua ISD
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Joshua band performs at national championship game
The Joshua High School band spent its weekend in New Orleans on an invitation to perform during halftime of the Bowl Championship Series game between Louisiana State University and the University of Alabama.
- Holly, jolly follies
- Most school districts celebrate Christmas
- Expanding minds
- County schools offering healthier options
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Joshua band performs at national championship game
- Keene ISD
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Most school districts celebrate Christmas
Ask most of the school districts in Johnson County how they feel about “Merry Christmas” or Santa Claus, and the response is the same. Christmas is welcome in most schools, so long as students take care to not play favorites with individual gifts.
- County schools offering healthier options
- TAKS results vary for Johnson County schools
- Callender steps down as Keene superintendent
- For county spellers, it’s quite a safari out there
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Most school districts celebrate Christmas
- Rio Vista ISD
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Rio Vista High School counselor, Kathy Monk, left, received her 20-year pin at the State Middle School Student Council Conference. Monk was recognized for her years of service as a student council sponsor. Also pictured is Terry Hamm, Texas Association of Student Council director.
- Venus ISD
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Venus ISD closed today
Venus ISD is closed today, according to the district's website. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, there was no word on Thursday's classes.
- TAKS results vary for Johnson County schools
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Venus ISD closed today



