Texas teachers grapple with their raises caught up in voucher fight

Protesters hold signs and chant during a rally against school vouchers at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 7, 2023. Hundreds gathered to protest two days before a special lawmaking session on vouchers and other topics, slated to begin Monday. (Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune)

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When she first began teaching 13 years ago, Katrina Rasmussen, a studio art teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School in the Dallas Independent School District, said her salary was enough to make a living. But between rising inflation and minimal teacher salary raises, Rasmussen and her husband, who is also a public school teacher, now both rely on second jobs to keep their family afloat.