The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has its fat cat hands all over public ed legislation, pushing voucher expansion, school choice, and punitive A-F ratings systems across the nation.

ALEC has a singular focus when it comes to public education- to convince Americans that public education is no longer necessary in our democracy. 

For those wondering how the HISD takeover happened – look outward, rather than to Houston-specific reasons for why it happened. ALEC has its not so “invisible hand” all over every destructive public ed law that has been written in Texas and around the country.

Click the button below to read a 10-slide graphic novel (of sorts) illustrating how Texas Law was Manipulated to Orchestrate the HISD Takeover. 

SB 1365 is particularly harmful because it gives OUT-SIZED power to the Texas Education Agency to take over any school district for any reason. Read more- 

• If a single campus has a conservator assigned to it for two consecutive years, SB 1365 allows the commissioner to appoint a board of managers to the entire district. Think about Austin. People complained to TEA about Special Ed. TEA appointed a monitor in Oct 2023, paving the way for takeover in 2025.
• SB 1365 gives TEA commissioner "final and unappealable" authority to takeover a school district with no checks and balances to prevent abuses of state power or a means of correcting TEA mistakes and overreach. 
• It expanded “unacceptable” performance to include campuses and districts with multiple D ratings, not just F ratings. This almost instantly causes more districts and campuses to be subject to interventions and sanctions in the middle of a pandemic.
• Accreditation investigations are changed to "special investigations" throughout the bill. This broadens the scope of disciplinary action TEA may take, including takeover.

Join CVPE this Saturday (12:30 pm) at Trinity Gardens Church of Christ (7725 Sandra). 

RSVP: houstoncvpe.org/events

We'll hear from State Representatives Penny Morales-Shaw and Christina Morales about what's happening at the State Level to fight for public ed. We will have five action-oriented breakout sessions that you can choose from.

• How Houston teachers and parents can build power towards collective action
• Using Yarn Art to oppose the takeover- you will learn how to crochet!
• Tips for speaking to the media and at board meetings
• Building Power by Delegating
• Public ed cuts in Cy-Fair and around the state
  

Note: The church asked that anyone bringing snacks only bring pre-packaged items to protect their license.

Saturday is ALSO ELECTION DAY for the new Harris County Appraisal District positions. You can vote at a nearby voting location on your way home from the meeting. Roderick Paige ES or Kashmere MultiService Ctr are close.

Governor Abbott and other far-right Republicans set up these new Harris County Appraisal District positions to try to take back control of Harris County.