August 25, 1948 

Hon. L. A. Woods 

State Superintendent 

Department of Education 

Austin, Texas 

Opinion No. V-670 

Re: Treatment of a B.S. 

Degree in Library 

Science as equlvalent to M.A.Degree 

for increment purposes under Sec..2, 

Art. III, R. B. 295, 

50th Leg., Acts 1947. 

Attention: Ron. T. M. Trlmble 

First Assistant 

Dear Sir: 

We refer to your letter request from which we 

quote: 

"The State Department of Education, in 

the administration of the Rquallsation Law 

has recognized a Bachelor of Science degree 

in Library Science as an appropriate degree 

in recognition of five years of college work 

which has the same standing as a Master's 

degree in some other subject matter field, 

and on this basis we are allowing an additional increment for this appropriate degree.* 

Section 2 of Article III, B. B. 295, 50th Legislature, Acts 1947, which sets out the base salary schedules and teaching experience Increments applicable to the 

payment of teachers' salaries In State-aid schools of 

Texas, provides a further increment as follows: 

I, * Twenty-five Dollars ($25) per month 

&ail be added for each year of college 

credit over one (1) year o e e To reoeive 

credit for each year of college training 

beginning with the fourth year, a recognized degree appropriate to each year of o$llege training must have been conferred. 
HOL L, A. Woods, page 2 (V-670) 

In Opinion No. V-406, this office In construing this above quoted provision of the State-aid law, 

advised: 

“The Act contemplates that a teacher ‘i 

shall receive $25 per month for each gear 

of college credit over one year. Therefore, 

a teacher with two years of college training 

would receive a $24. increment, and for three 

years $50. Beginning with the fourth year 

.a degree appropriate to each year of college, 

training must have been conferred to be entitled to an additional increase. The teaoher upon whom’s B. A. degree, or its equivalent, Is conferred would be eligible for $75 

and an additional year Is work and the conferring of a Masters 

teacher for $100." 

degree would qualify a 

It is generally known and accepted fact that 

a B. A. degree Is an appropriate degree for the successful completion of four years of prescribed college work, 

and that a Masters degree is appropriate and conferred 

for the successful completion of an additional year of 

prescribed college work after a B. A. degree, or its 

equivalent, is acquired. Our Opinion V- $ 06 insofar as 

It refers to the increment for'a.teacher who has a B. A. 

degree, or its equivalent, or who has a Masters c¶egree 

was predicated upon this premise or reasoning. 

It should further be observed that the law 

above quoted makes no specific reference to a B. A., 

Masters or Ph.D. degree, It does not require that the 

teacher should have a Masters degree before he shall be 

entitled to an increme'r$lOO for .flve years of college work. It requires only that he shall have a recognized degree appropriate to each year of college work for 

which the degree has been conferred before he shall receive increment credit for each year of college training 

beginning with the fourth year. 

If a teacher has a Masters degree, he is entitled to the $100 increment as provided in the Act. 

Opinion V-406 e If, however, he has a degree, other thank 

a Masters degree, which oould be conferred only upon his 

suco'essful completion of five years of prescribed college work leading u to said degree, he would likewise 

be entitled to the $ 100 increment, for the degree is appropriate to each year of college work for which the 
HOIL 1;. A. Woods, page 3 (V-670) 

d8gr88 has been conferred. 

Accordingly, if a tea&e& has'8 B. S. degree 

in Library Soleace from a amognised college which POquiz-es the successful completion of five years of prosorlbed college work before the said dogPee may be oon- r0m3d, he ia entitled to a ooll8g8 train* laa2wneat 

of $100. If, howsvsr, the teacher has a: B. S. degree 

in Library Science from a recogniced col~egs which Cequlres the~sucoessful completion of four years 0nXy of 

prescribed college work before said degree map be oonfemad, he Is entitled to a college tralnlng inmement 

of $75. 

SUMMARY 

Where a teacher holds a B. S. degree 

in Library Soienae from a recognized college which requires the suocessf\il oostplotion of 5 years of prescribed college work 

before confepring saw, he is entitled to a 

college train% 

3 

increment of $100. Where, 

howev87, he ho1 8 suoh degree from a recognized college which Pequirss only four gears 

of presoribed college work before conferring 

sa01, he 18 entitled to a college training 

LncMement of $75. Sec. 2, Article III, H.B. 

295, 50th Legislature, Aots 1947. 

Yours very tmly, 

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

CEO:mw -ti Chester E. Ollison 

Assistant