This year has been marked by several changes in Texas schools. From personal electronic devices to The Ten Commandments being displayed, school in the Lone Star State is changing.
While vouchers and the STAAR tests dominated headlines, a study was done comparing all fifty states when it comes to which ones are best for teachers. There was some good news and some bad news for Texas.
What the Best And Worst States For Teachers Study Measures
The study was done by WalletHub, and they looked at several metrics to achieve their rankings. According to them, Texas ranks 23rd when it comes to "teacher-friendliness."
READ MORE: The Legal War Over The Ten Commandments In Texas Classrooms
Where Texas did extremely well was in digital learning plans and the starting pay for teachers. Outside of that, the Lone Star State didn't do well at all. Texas ranked first in digital learning plans and fifth in starting pay for teachers.
Budget & Pay Growth Concerns
Texas ranked at the bottom for the amount of money spent per student and for teachers' income growth potential. We came in 48th for the amount of public-school spending done per student and 47th in teachers' income growth potential.
READ MORE: Major Changes Coming To Texas Classrooms In 2025
We also ranked in the bottom half of the nation for quality of school systems, pupil-teacher ratio, and 10-year change in teacher salaries. You can find out more by reading the entire study.
What Needs to Happen Next
The key takeaway from this study is that there's a lot we can do, not just for our teachers, but also for our children. We've all heard the saying that children are our future, but these results don't seem to support those words.
Hopefully, the future is brighter for education in the Lone Star State, and we find ourselves sitting at the top of studies like this.