Texas Education Policy Update

Texas Education CAFE™ Advocacy Network

Texas Policy Weekly Update

Each week, we are sharing the latest news about what's happening in Texas education policy and how you can make your voice heard.

Make sure you keep receiving these notices by subscribing to the Texas Education CAFE Advocacy Network!

Coming Up: Week of April 5

Hearings this week will address:

Supporting emergent bilingual students,
Statewide broadband,
Equitable curriculum, and
Student assessment.

You can watch the hearings live online. Each hearing covers multiple bills (click the links below to see the agendas). For hearings in the Texas House, you can submit comments about any of the bills being discussed during the hearing using an online portal (even if they've moved on to a different bill).

Tuesday

Public Education Committee

8:00 a.m. (See notice)

Thursday

Higher Education Committee

8:00 a.m. (See notice)

Watch hearings live

Watch past hearings

Wednesday

Higher Education Committee

9:00 a.m. (See notice)

Thursday

Senate Education Committee

9:00 a.m. (See n otice)

Watch hearings live

Watch past hearings

Submit Your Comments this Week

IDRA holds virtual office hours to walk you through the process of submitting public comments online

Every Monday afternoon, IDRA helps students, families, educators and community members submit their own comments on education bills being debated by Texas lawmakers that week. #ShareYourStory

What happens during IDRA’s virtual office hours?

Get information on bills that will be heard by lawmakers that week.
Summarize your own story and how a proposed bill would impact schools in your community.
See how to use Texas’ online public comment portal so you can share your thoughts and ideas with lawmakers. Submit your comments!

Mondays • 4:30-5:30 pm cdt

Bilingual event in English & Spanish

Note: IDRA will assist with bill information and the comment process, not on influencing a participant’s position.

Highights from Last Week

IDRA submitted the following testimony last week.

Equity Should be Upheld in Eligibility for College, Career, and Military Readiness Outcomes Bonus Funding, IDRA Testimony on HB 3204, March 30, 2020

Texas Needs to Prioritize Rural and Urban School Districts through a Community Approach for Internet Connectivity, IDRA Testimony on House Bill 3591 to the House Public Education Committee on March 30, 2021

HB 3270 Could Compromise Community Input and Engagement in School District Accountability, IDRA Testimony on House Bill 3270 to the Senate Education Committee, March 30, 2021

HB 3643 Takes Schools in the Opposite Direction of What’s Best for Students by Expanding Virtual Education, IDRA Testimony against House Bill 3643 to the House Public Education Committee, March 30, 2021

HB 822 Compromises Equitable Education Opportunities in the Name of School Safety, IDRA Testimony against HB 822 to the House Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee on March 29, 2021

The Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition submitted the following testimony last week.

Public Schools Should Promote Racial Equity, Not Risk Re-Segregation, TLEEC Written Testimony Against House Bill 3129, submitted to the Texas House Public Education Committee, March 30, 2021

State Takeovers of School Districts Do Not Work – We Must Elevate, Not Stifle, the Voices of Our Communities, TLEEC Public Comment against House Bill 3270 to the Texas House Public Education Committee, March 30, 2021

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San Antonio, TX 78228

Phone: 210-444-1710

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