Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) was at Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Dallas Tuesday afternoon for a roundtable session with teachers, administrators and local lawmakers. The governor said he was there not to talk, but to listen.
"Many of you all are teachers. I'm a student," Abbott said as he looked across the tables assembled in a grade school classroom. "This is back to school time. Back to school for teachers and students, but also back to school for legislators."
The media was allowed to hear only the beginning statements. The rest of the roundtable session was closed.
Abbott said he wanted to hear ideas for an education finance plan that would include putting teachers on a path to earn six-figure salaries.
"We want to attract the very best teachers and keep the very best teachers," Abbott said. "We want to find ways that we keep you, empower you to commit more of your life to education and our kids, and I believe one way of doing that is by paying teachers more."
The devil may be in details. Without a concrete plan, there are none right now. When asked if pay would be tied to standardized test scores, Abbott said no.
"It's not realistic in the beginning," said second grade teacher Veronica Luna, who was in the roundtable session. "We have someone actually here with us who is close to that benchmark, so it's achievable, but it takes a lot of work."
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Abbott said the Dallas Independent School District has a path for teachers to earn top dollar, and that any plan would not be a one-size-fits-all from Austin.
"The only thing you can get funding for is something that you are able to sell to the legislature," Abbott said. "So the first thing we have to do is put together the product that I can sell. When we do that, then I'll get the funding."
