The legislative session is over on May 31 and it's go time! First the bad news.   Last night the Texas House voted for HB1365, a “compromise” school takeover bill. This version keeps HISD and school districts all over the state in the TEA’s crosshairs and ensures that STAAR scores remain the be-all end-all for any struggling school.  Read more

SB1365 has been postponed until Sunday. This takeover bill is so bad for kids and schools that NO amendments will make it better.  Read more

On Thursday, the Texas House will vote on Senate Bill 1365, a bill that would make it easier for the unelected TEA commissioner of education to take over our local school districts. It makes STAAR even more high stakes and is an affront to democracy and local control.  Read more

This legislative session is so horrible for public education that the conclusion we may need to make is this:  Texas government is a threat to public schools and schoolchildren. Read more

There is a $10 Billion corporate tax break bill in the Legislature that is so bad that both the progressive Every Texan and the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation are vigorously opposing it. Read more below. Read more

It is Teacher Appreciation Day. Can you think of a worse present for a teachers or their students than to use STAAR to punish even more students, teachers and their schools? HB 3731, being heard today in the House, would expand TEA's state takeover authority based on STAAR scores. Read more

A pair of bills approaching a vote in the Texas House will significantly expand state power over local school districts. The bills, authored by Senator Bettencourt and Representative Dutton, are aimed at Houston ISD but will impact all public school districts in the state. The two legislators are impatient for the Texas Education Agency to take over HISD. The district is the first to fight the TEA in court, delaying the change in control for the past year. Read more

This is a hard week for public education in the Texas Legislature. Can you lend a hand to try to stop these bad bills? Here are four things you can do pretty fast. Read more

SB 28 is one of the top priorities for Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The House Public Education Committee will be hearing SB 28 on Tuesday morning. Read more

It is Budget Day in the Texas House. Watch here.  Texas officials haven't distributed $17.9 billion for schools in the last 2 federal COVID relief packages. Some worry Texas officials will use the money to supplant (replace) state funding already in draft budgets in the #txlege. Read more