Texas trails national average on teacher pay, per-pupil school spending

As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to tour the state pushing for school vouchers that would sap public education funds, a new report finds that Texas already ranks among the worst states for both average per-pupil spending and teacher pay. During the 2022-2023 school year, Texas spent on average of $12,503 per student per average daily attendance, according to analysis published on Monday by the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA), which opposes Abbott's voucher plan. That ranks Texas 44th in the nation, according to the study. The national average per pupil spending is $17,132, according TSTA's data.