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Jan 10, 2023 · Public education advocates hope lawmakers will spend more on schools, raise teacher salaries and prioritize mental health resources. The last time the Texas Legislature made a major financial investment in the public school system was before the pandemic in 2019.
- No teacher raises. Early in the year, school administrators asked lawmakers to do at least three things: raise the basic allotment, the base amount of money schools get per student; overhaul the state’s school funding formula; and heavily invest in teacher raises.
- No vouchers. Some lawmakers who support school choice programs believed that they had enough backing this session, from families displeased with public schools over pandemic response rules and how race and history are taught, to help them enact a school voucher program.
- School safety measures. It took until the second-to-last day of the session for lawmakers to agree on a sweeping school safety package that would require an armed security officer at every school and provide mental health training for certain district employees.
- Teacher shortages. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas was already facing a teacher shortage. Issues like low pay, working overtime, health worries during the pandemic and being caught in the middle of Texas’ culture wars have led more teachers to leave the profession.
- Teacher retention and recruitment. The teacher shortage in Texas is top of mind for state lawmakers and public education advocates. A poll released last year by the Charles Butt Foundation found 77% of Texas teachers seriously considered leaving the field.
- School finance. Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa has witnessed the impact of teacher vacancies firsthand. She said there was not a teacher for her son's fifth grade class at an Austin ISD school, so instead the students were divided up between two other classes that did have teachers.
- School choice. Abbott and fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have expressed support for legislation that would allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to send their kids to private school.
- School safety. When lawmakers reconvene at the Texas Capitol, it will mark the first legislative session since a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
- School funding. Three years into a pandemic that has upended school districts’ finances and amid rising inflation, some districts are facing tough decisions that might include closing schools and shutting down programs.
- School safety. In the aftermath of the Uvalde massacre, school safety is on top of the priority list for both Republicans and Democrats. Ways to make school safer and provide more mental health services are being discussed.
- Teacher shortages. Even before COVID-19, Texas was already facing a teacher shortage. Issues like low pay, working overtime, health worries during the pandemic and being caught in the middle of Texas’ culture wars have led more teachers to leave the profession.
- School choice. Some Republicans believe this is the session that school choice will be expanded in Texas. “School choice” is a term used to describe programs that give families state funds for private schooling.
Jun 5, 2023 · The Texas Legislature ended its regular 88th legislative session with public schools slated to get about $1.4 billion in funding, but other proposals to boost teacher pay and per pupil...
- K-12 Education Reporter
Apr 26, 2023 · In a promising sign for cash-strapped Texas schools, the Texas House on Thursday passed a a school finance bill that would increase the amount of state money that schools get per student, start...
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Feb 16, 2023 · Public education advocates hope lawmakers will spend more on schools, raise teacher salaries and prioritize mental health resources. The last time the Texas Legislature made a major financial investment in the public school system was before the pandemic in 2019.
