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Texas Threatens $9,000 Teacher Pay Raises Over DEI Wording

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Texas Tied $9,000 Teacher Raises to a DEI Compliance Deadline

The Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) voted to require the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to scrub DEI language from its materials or lose eligibility in Texas’ teacher salary program. The deadline is November 2, 2025.

Teachers who hold National Board Certification currently qualify for raises of up to $9,000 per year through Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment. That program rewards educators for measurable student academic growth. If the National Board does not update its resource materials by the deadline, Texas could remove the credential from the allotment entirely, cutting off those raises for thousands of educators.

$9,000 maximum annual raise Texas teachers with National Board Certification currently receive through the Teacher Incentive Allotment

National Board Certification is a voluntary professional credential earned through a rigorous portfolio and assessment process. Research has consistently shown it improves student outcomes. The credential is recognized in all 50 states.

Texas’ House Bill 2, a nearly $8.5 billion school funding law passed in 2024, required SBEC to review whether National Board Certification complies with the state’s anti-DEI law. Republican officials had flagged the National Board’s materials encouraging teachers to cultivate learning spaces inclusive of all children, specifically language related to gender and sex.

Bobbie Lynn Weir, a nationally certified Texas educator who chairs the SBEC subcommittee reviewing the materials, acknowledged the board had little room to maneuver. “I’m hoping that you can understand where our hands are somewhat tied,” Weir said at the Friday hearing. She expressed hope for an expedited process to keep the focus on “student growth and quality education.”

Peggy Brookins, president and CEO of the National Board, testified that her team has reflected on the concerns Texas raised. The National Board now faces a choice between revising materials that reflect its stated professional standards or losing recognition in one of the country’s largest states.

SBEC members stated during the hearing that they did not evaluate the educational value of National Board Certification itself, only whether its materials align with Texas law.

What you can do now

  1. Attend or submit public comment at the next SBEC meeting. SBEC meets regularly and accepts public testimony. Find the meeting schedule and comment submission process at the Texas Education Agency’s SBEC page. Tell the board you oppose tying teacher pay to DEI compliance reviews.

  2. Contact your Texas state legislators directly. House Bill 2 created this mechanism. Call the Texas Legislature switchboard at (512) 463-4630 and ask your representative and senator to amend HB 2 to remove the anti-DEI compliance trigger from the Teacher Incentive Allotment.

  3. Contact the National Board directly. Peggy Brookins leads the National Board at (202) 465-5120. Tell her you support maintaining professional standards in National Board materials and oppose revisions made under political pressure.

  4. Ask your local school district to go on record. School boards can pass resolutions expressing support for National Board Certification and urging the state not to remove it from the Teacher Incentive Allotment. Contact your local board members before November 2, 2025.

Sources

[Callout: November 2, 2025 deadline.

National Board must update materials or lose Texas program eligibility. SBEC vote]

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