Research

A decade of deregulated hiring left more than 41,000 uncertified teachers in Texas classrooms, costing students one to four months of learning per year, with losses that compound for students assigned uncertified teachers back to back. The surge also pushed the most effective certified teachers out of their schools, sharpening the case for House Bill 2's phase-out and record investment in teacher preparation.

The Teacher Incentive Allotment, which lets top Texas teachers earn up to $36,000 above base salary, raised district achievement by about a third of a year of learning and reduced turnover, with effects growing each year after adoption. By years three and four, the state's most effective teachers were roughly 20% more likely to stay in the classroom.

Tracking nearly 1 million Texas graduates, this brief shows that some readiness indicators, like earning a credential or dual credit in high school, predict real gains in degree completion and wages, while others signal readiness that never materializes. Students who earn an associate degree or Level I or II certificate in high school out-earn their peers by 15 to 20% just six years after graduation.