CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Little Nadine is at the park with her mom, Natalia Mendoza. They go to blow off some steam.
Nadine is in Pre-k and soon her little sister Noriah will be in school as well. That being said, Mendoza is very involved in their education.
"I do think teachers should get paid more. They put a lot of time and energy into our kids,” Mendoza said.
For decades there's been a push to pay teachers more. Especially now as schools across the country and here at home struggle with teacher shortages.
Just recently, the Texas Senate approved a bill to address that.
Senate Bill 26 would establish a new teacher retention allotment to provide pay increases for teachers.
"It's more incentive and it's incentive for new teachers to stay longer and want to earn that incentive,” Mendoza said.
Teachers with three years of experience would get a $2,500 raise and those with 5 would be given a $5,500 raise.
Teachers in smaller districts with less than 5,000 students would get twice that amount.
"Happy teachers will make happy students,” Mendoza said.
Corpus Christi American Federation of Teacher's President Nancy Vera totally agrees that all teachers deserve a raise.
"Teachers should be paid for their expertise and we're not. Teachers repeatedly have been told we're trusted, well put your money where your mouth is Texas,” Vera said.
Vera still has questions.
"Are they going to give this as an allotment to the district, so the district decides how to disseminate the raises,” Vera said. “If so, is everyone getting a $5,000 raise. Also, are they capping the insurance rates for teachers, so they don't go up every year.”
Yet Vera still doubts what this really means.
"Be honest with us, tell us exactly what you're going to do. Be transparent with us,” Vera said.
Texas Senate News expects the proposed raise would kick in by next year.
