The proposal would expand a program that allows districts to award bonuses to educators based on their students’ academic growth.

The Texas Senate Education Committee is set to hear comments on a bill that would increase teacher pay. The bill would create an evaluation system that would increase pay based on merit. The bill includes extra incentives for teachers in high-needs and rural areas.

Eye on Politics reporter Jack Fink's full interview with Democratic State Representative Mihaela Plesa. They discuss school choice, teacher pay raises, and Congress reimbursing Texas for border security.

The proposal, filed Thursday, comes well short of the increase school administrators and education advocates have been asking for.

This week, for the first time, the new Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said school choice will pass. His comments come amid rising pressure on him to get the controversial bill across the finish line that would give taxpayer money for students to attend private school.