AUSTIN) – Teacher salaries saw the largest growth in six years, according to the 2006–07 Salaries and Benefits in Texas Public Schools: Teacher Report recently released by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). The TASB/TASA survey, conducted annually by TASB’s HR Services Division, is the second of a series of five reports that is the most definitive study of compensation and benefits practices in Texas. This information is used by policymakers at the local and state levels to make decisions about educator pay and benefits.

Of the 1,031 public school districts asked to participate in the survey, 744 districts responded, representing 72 percent of total districts in the state.

The survey includes 94 percent (289,783) of the estimated total population of teachers in Texas public schools. Based on a five-year historical growth rate of 1.9 percent, it is estimated that 308,148 teachers are employed in Texas in 2006–07. Sixty-eight percent of teachers (197,952) represented in the survey sample work in school districts with more than 10,000 students. Eighty-nine of the 90 districts statewide in this enrollment category provided teacher salary data. Among survey highlights:

Teacher Salaries

 The weighted average teacher salary in responding districts is $44,615 for 2006–07, up 6.9 percent from the 2005–06 average salary of $41,743. This is a significant increase in the average teacher salary after six consecutive years with growth of 2 percent or less. House Bill 1 (2006, 3rd Called Session of the 79th Legislature) required districts to increase salaries for teachers by at least $2,500, including former compensation supplements, plus any experience increment on the local hiring schedule.

• The weighted average salary in districts with more than 10,000 students is $45,848. Sixty-eight percent of teachers in the survey sample work in these districts.
• Weighted average salaries by enrollment size range from $38,469 in districts with less than 500 students to $46,422 in districts with more than 50,000 students.
• Region XI (Fort Worth) has the highest weighted average salary for 2006–07 at $46,933. In previous years, Regions IV or X (Houston or Dallas) had the highest weighted average salary.
• Region VIII (Mount Pleasant) has the lowest weighted average salary at $39,423 and is the only region with an average salary below $40,000. Only 1.3 percent of teachers in the sample work in Region VIII districts.

While the overall average salary for teachers increased by 6.9 percent, individual districts budgeted an average of 8.6 percent for pay increases for returning teachers this year. This includes state funding for the H.B. 1-required increases. The average pay increase for teachers is significantly higher than inflation during the same period. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose by 3.8 percent for the period ending August 2006. The CPI-U is a widely used index for cost-of-living changes provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Department of Labor.

All school districts were required to provide pay increases to teachers, librarians, registered nurses, and counselors. Thirteen districts (2 percent) limited their pay increases to this group only. Aside from folding former compensation supplements into salaries and wages, H.B. 1 did not require increases for any other employee groups, although all groups saw larger pay raises than the prior year.

Administrators saw the lowest average pay increase at 4.3 percent and 50 districts (7 percent) provided no administrator pay increase. Professional support employees received average increases of 6.9 percent. Clerical/paraprofessional and auxiliary personnel received average increases of 5.0 and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Starting Pay

The average starting salary for a new teacher is $32,266, a 10-percent increase from the 2005–06 average of $29,354. This year’s average starting salary is 18 percent higher than the state minimum starting salary of $27,320. The average starting salary in districts with more than 10,000 students is $39,457, an 8.5-percent increase from last year.

• Seventy-three responding districts (10 percent) have an entry-level salary of $40,000 or greater. Forty-five percent of teachers (130,644) in the sample work in these districts.
• The average starting salary in districts with more than 50,000 students is $41,025.
• Eighty-seven districts (12 percent) pay teachers on the state minimum teacher salary schedule. These districts employ only 1.5 percent of teachers (4,313) in the sample. Highest Salaries The average highest salary paid in districts to 10-month teachers with a bachelor’s degree is $51,349. The average highest salary paid in districts with more than 10,000 students is $62,551. Districts with more than 50,000 students have the highest top salaries paid at $65,875 on average.

Shortage Stipends

Fifty-three percent of respondents (394 districts) pay shortage stipends to teachers in at least one critical shortage area, the same as reported in 2005–06. Shortage stipends are surveyed in subject areas designated by the Commissioner of Education. Current designated shortage areas include math, science, special education, bilingual education, and others.

• Bilingual education is the most frequently reported stipend paid with 56 percent (219 districts) paying a stipend in this area. Mathematics is the second most frequent stipend paid with 52 percent (205 districts) paying.
• Bilingual education stipends are also the highest paid at $2,315 on average.
• Eighty-nine percent of districts with enrollments greater than 10,000 use shortage-area stipends.
• Although slightly more than half of districts use this practice, 84 percent of the teachers (242,920) in the sample work in districts that pay stipends to teachers in shortage areas.

Master’s Degree Stipends

Sixty-one percent of districts (452) pay stipends to teachers with master’s degrees. Most districts (90 percent) pay a single-rate stipend above the local base salary schedule. The average master’s degree stipend in these districts is $1,119.

• Ninety-three percent of responding districts with more than 3,000 students pay stipends to teachers with master’s degrees.
• All districts with more than 25,000 students pay master’s degree stipends.
• The Texas Education Agency (TEA) reported that 21.7 percent of teachers in the state hold a master’s or doctorate degree (2005–06 State Academic Excellence Indicator System Report).

Hiring Bonuses

Eleven percent of districts (81) paid a bonus to new hires for 2006–07. While this is a slight increase from 2005–06 when 10 percent of districts paid hiring bonuses, use of this practice has remained fairly steady for the past four years. The average bonus paid was $2,049, up 13 percent from last year. Hiring bonus amounts vary from $250 to $10,000.

• Most districts that use hiring bonuses (75 percent) only pay bonuses for hard-to-fill positions. The positions most frequently reported that receive hiring bonuses are mathematics and science. This is a change from the previous two years when hiring bonuses were most frequently paid for bilingual education.
• Districts provided hiring bonuses to 3,887 teachers for 2006–07, down slightly from last year when 3,969 teachers received a hiring bonus.

Longevity Pay

Fourteen percent of districts (105) offer longevity pay for service in their district, down 2 percent from 2005–06. Districts use a variety of methods to give extra pay for local service. Some use a sliding scale with increased amounts for each year of local service, while others pay one-time bonuses as certain milestones are attained. There is also a wide range in dollar amounts paid and years required for eligibility. Some districts reward employees for each year in the district starting with the first while others require as many as 20 years of local service before an employee is eligible.

Other Stipends

Twenty-eight percent of respondents (209 districts) pay stipends to mentor teachers, the same as reported in 2005–06. The average stipend paid is $475, up 6 percent from last year. Most of these districts (70 percent) pay between $250 and $500. Sixty percent of districts with more than 10,000 students pay mentor teacher stipends. The average stipend in these districts is $504.

Fourteen districts pay stipends to teachers with National Board Certification® from the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS). The average stipend paid is $2,147. Only two of these districts also reimburse expenses for pursuing the certification. Nine districts reimburse expenses for teachers pursuing National Board Certification but do not pay stipends to teachers that hold the certification.

Performance Incentive Plans

 Twelve percent of respondents (90 districts) indicated that the district has some type of locally-devised performance incentive plan that is not part of the state’s incentive grant programs. This is the same percent as reported in 2005–06. At least 7 percent of districts in each enrollment category reported having some type of performance pay plan in their district. One-third of districts with local performance incentives (30 districts) have more than one type of plan.

• Fifty-two districts have campus-based, group performance incentive plans. Most of these districts (62 percent) open eligibility to all employees on a campus.
• Fourteen districts reported using individual performance incentives for at least one employee group.
• Twenty-seven districts have attendance incentive plans only and no other type of performance pay.

This report is a compilation of salary information for classroom teachers collected by TASB HR Services during the fall of the 2006–07 school year. The survey questionnaire was mailed to the 1,031 Texas school districts as part of the annual survey process. Survey data collected covers teacher salaries, hiring schedules, degree stipends, shortage stipends, substitute teacher pay rates, and other teacher pay practices.

The data in this report are provided to help districts recruit, retain, and reward teachers through the development of competitive compensation plans. This report is the second in a series of five reports on compensation and benefits practices in Texas public school districts. Other reports address superintendent salaries; administrative and professional salaries; paraprofessional, technical, and hourly employee pay; and employee benefits and supplemental pay for extra duties.

TASB is a nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school districts. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state.

Full survey highlights at: http://www.tasb.org/services/hr_services/documents/06-07%20tchr_highlight.pdf