We believe every child deserves high-quality education. We support leaders ensuring this right, especially for underserved students, to help them reach their full potential.
Welcome to edVantage TX newsletter by Democrats for Education Reform TX, highlighting the policies, people, and news shaping TX education.
The edVantage TX newsletter is a new regular communication by DFER TX that brings you the news and policy updates you need to help shape the education policy debate.
Contact the DFER TX team at info@dfertx.org to learn more and get in touch about how we can help your team approach crucial education policy debates next session.
Today’s edVantage TX Newsletter brings you:
- Texas Legislative Updates
- DFER TX Spotlight: South Texas Democratic Nominees for Texas House
- Texas Policy Updates
- What We’re Reading
- Key Dates to Remember
Legislative Updates
September was a busy month for interim hearings.
Senate Committee on Education
The Senate Committee on Education discussed interim charges related to the Texas Assessment Through-Year Pilot (TTAP) progress, the impact of the expiration of federal pandemic funding, early literacy and numeracy best practices, and school safety updates. Watch the hearing here.
- 📚 Senators showed strong bipartisan support for reading and math readiness policies. We want to especially thank Sen. LaMantia for asking a thoughtful question on the availability of data to track student progress. Testifiers highlighted the data gap and emphasized the need to bolster the statutory framework for progress monitoring and effective intervention.
- 💵 School funding took center stage. During the school funding panel, Senators debated whether or not districts used federal pandemic funding efficiently. Testifiers underscored the devastating impact of declining enrollment, record-high inflation, learning recovery efforts, and staff turnover on district costs and budgets.
- 📊 Assessment pilot shows promise. The hearing revealed progress and problems with TTAP, a statewide initiative designed to pilot a new wave of testing reform to reduce testing time and potentially replace the STAAR. TEA revealed that the pilot has shown that the STAAR could be reduced by 30 minutes and still maintain its validity and reliability. Members showed mixed interest in the pilot’s results and its future.
Property Tax Reform & School Finance
The Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Ways and Means and Select Committee on Sustainable Property Tax Relief discussed property tax reform and school finance. Watch the Senate hearing here and the House hearing here.
- 🎓📉 Shifting enrollment and attendance trends dominated the conversation in both chambers. Notably, Commissioner Morath testified that a 1.7% decline in attendance equates to a $328 million loss in revenue. With chronic absenteeism at an all-time high, members opined on potential policy solutions to mitigate negative impacts to districts’ revenue.
Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education
The Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education discussed HB 8 updates, artificial intelligence, and transfer policies. Watch the hearing here.
- 🏫📈 HB 8 surpasses expectations. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Association of Community Colleges testified that outcomes exceeded expectations in the first couple of years of implementation. The agency will be requesting $39.4 million in supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2024-2025 to cover performance outcomes. Additionally, the FAST Program has already provided 1.46 million dual credit hours at no cost to over 260,000 students.
Legislative Budget Board
The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) also held joint budget hearings for state agencies. TEA discussed their legislative appropriations request (LAR) and detailed their exceptional item requests.
- 🧑🏫 TEA requests additional funding for teacher preparation and compensation, investigations, and special education. TEA is requesting an additional ~$17 million to address the increase in volume for complaints and investigations. They are also requesting funding (amount TBD, based on legislative appropriations) to implement recommendations from the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding, as well as strategies to improve teacher preparation and compensation.
DFER TX SPOTLIGHT
Highlighting Lawmakers Committed to Our Children
While the focus of the nation is on the race for President of the United States, several crucial races for the Texas House will occur next month. While the House will likely remain in the hands of the GOP, Texas Democrats have nominated strong candidates across the state that will close the GOP/Democratic gap as we inch closer to the 2030 election cycle, where control of the House redistricting process will be up for grabs.
Today we are focusing on three of those House races in three key South Texas State House districts that are essential for Democrats and the future of public education in Texas:
HD 34: Former State Representative Solomon Ortiz Jr.
In Corpus Christi, long-time public education champion Abel Herrero is retiring, creating a vacancy in the 34th House District seat. Last year, former State Rep. Solomon Ortiz Jr. announced his candidacy and easily won the Democratic nomination in March. Ortiz is a long-time Corpus community leader, non-profit executive, and committed champion for women, the environment, insurance reform, and public education. As a member of the Texas House from 2006-2011, Ortiz was a Deputy Whip for the House Democratic Caucus and treasurer for MALC.
This lean Democratic seat is being targeted by the Governor and GOP outside groups. Ortiz has already been subject of multiple negative mailers for his commitment to public education and a balanced approach to border security. However, Ortiz is running a strong campaign and taking his case directly to the voters.
HD 37: Jonathan Gracia
Along the border, former Cameron County Justice of the Peace Jonathan Gracia is running to flip HD 37 back to blue.Gracia decisively won the Democratic runoff in May and is running a strong race focused on fighting back against vouchers, border security, and job creation. HD 37 is one of the closest swing districts in the state and a “priority” seat for both parties. Gracia is already a target of outside GOP dark-money PACs and will likely see over a million dollars spent against him. Despite the attacks, Gracia is running a campaign focused on issues that matter to this Valley district and utilizing his long-time community relationships as a JP and local attorney to connect with voters. Gracia told the Texas Tribune of how his local service will matter this November, “It’s a different type of politics, and that’s one of engagement, showing that you care, not through words, but through actions.”
HD 80: Cecilia Castellano
Stretching from Uvalde to Laredo, HD 80 has long been represented by State Rep. Tracy King who announced his retirement after serving in the Texas House since 1994. Small business owner, community leader, and public education advocate Cecilia Castellano won the Democratic runoff election in May to replace King in the House. HD 80 was redrawn by Republicans in 2021 to slightly lean Republican in top-of-the-ticket races. However, the district has proven to elect Democrats further down the ballot. This race may be the top pick-up target for Republicans in 2024.
Cecilia Castellano won the May Democratic runoff election through pure hard work and a strong middle-of-the-road message that uniquely appeals to District 80 voters. Being seen as a threat to thwart GOP plans to turn the district red, AG Ken Paxton conducted a raid on Castellano’s home in August. The raid has been called “nonsense” by LULAC, who has asked the federal government to review the raid.
Castellano has continued to campaign across the district despite the attacks by the GOP. She is focusing on creating new healthcare opportunities in her rural district and protecting public schools across District 80.
Texas Schools Are Standing Out
High-poverty, high-performing schools.
Education Reform Now (ERN), DFER TX’s national think tank affiliate, released its third in a series of reports focused on high-poverty, high-performing schools – this time on Texas schools! Spotlight Schools: High-Poverty Schools That Are Raising the Bar revealed strategies that outstanding Texas schools are using to ensure strong student performance. Key themes include:
- Adherence to state curriculum standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)
- Strengthening teacher performance, such as participating in the Teacher Incentive Allotment and professional development
- Implementing small group instruction, such as through high-impact tutoring
- Utilizing high quality instructional materials
Read the report to learn more about the great work Texas educators are doing to improve student outcomes.
What We Are Reading
Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seat
These 7 charts help explain what’s straining Texas school budgets
No A-F grades for Texas schools as judge temporarily blocks release
Abortion, private school vouchers and legislative control are the key issues in Texas’ 2024 election
North Texas colleges want to make transferring between schools easier, saving students time and money
Beyond the Tipping Point: The Rise of Uncertified Teachers in Texas
Key Dates to Remember
- General Election (Nov. 5)
- First Day of Bill Pre-Filing (Nov. 11)
- State Board of Education Meeting (Nov. 19-22)