Every legislative session is a public education session. The 140 days of the legislative session can feel simultaneously fast-paced and a slow grind to the finish line when lawmakers leave Austin on June 2.
A Texas Legislative Session typically evolves and changes over the course of mid-January to June 2. Our recent Intersect Ed podcastilluminates what Texans should watch for during the current legislative session.
From the Capital to the Classroom, here’s a look at some of our key priorities, prioritizing an investment in public schools, students, and teachers.
School Finance
Texas public school students, teachers, administrators, and locally elected school boards face increasing challenges exacerbated by a lack of state funding and inflation.
The Texas Legislature last increased per-student funding in 2019, meaning Texas ranks in the bottom 10 states in per-pupil funding. Rising inflation and subsequent adjustments mean districts effectively operate with $1,300 less per student than they did just five years ago.
The state’s inaction means local school districts across Texas are grappling with budget shortfalls and facing tough decisions about how to fund teacher and staff salaries, direct student services and supports, health insurance, and everyday state and federal operations requirements.
All of this is the direct result of the Legislature failing to increase the state’s basic allotment, the funding formulas that drive how much the state provides to your local school.
Teacher workforce
We also know that there’s an ongoing teacher shortage in Texas. Recruitment and retention of certified teachers remain in crisis. Despite the state’s Texas Teacher Vacancy Task Force, assembled in 2022, state leaders have not addressed core issues, including improved compensation, recruitment and scholarships for aspiring teachers, and strengthening teacher development with support for certification and professional standards.
"Investing in students who dream of becoming teachers is a key way to build our future education workforce...We also need to cultivate a robust pipeline of K-12 students who will go on to teacher preparation programs at local colleges and universities, " Dr. Alma Rodriguez, Dean of the College of Education and P-16 Integration at UTRGV recently opined.
Pre-Kindergarten
Improved investments in public education for all students are critical, but we cannot overlook our youngest Texans.
Making full-day pre-K available to all students of age in Texas public schools helps pave the way for all Texas children to be successful in school and in life. While state leaders made an initial investment in pre-K education in 2019, it’s now time for the state to reinvest in a sustainable whole child, early childhood education program for every student.
Research shows there’s real ROI from broad access to high-quality all-day pre-K programs. These programs positively impact a student’s readiness for kindergarten and beyond by helping our youngest students adjust to the school environment and daily schedule.
Money matters in our public schools—for our teachers and students—and public dollars should be prioritized for the 5.5 million Texas public school students who fill public school hallways and learn in their classrooms daily.
We must improve school funding, give teachers a pay raise, continue to invest in high-quality programs like full-day pre-K, ensure public dollars remain in public schools, and enhance public accountability.
Building a bright future for our state takes all of us. Sign up for Raise Your Hand Texas' email list and text alerts to stay informed about legislative developments and how you can use your voice to advocate for Texas public schools.
Texas can create a world-class school system that enriches our students academically, physically, emotionally, and socially to prepare them for their best futures. Such a commitment is critical to our state’s ability to prosper, attract new business investment, and remain a beacon for families and employers for generations to come.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Giovanni Escobedo, regional advocacy director for Raise Your Hand Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. The column appears in the Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the author. Escobedo can be reached by email via: GEscobedo@ryht.org.
About Giovanni Escobedo
Giovanni Escobedo joined Raise Your Hand Texas in fall 2019 as the regional advocacy director for the Rio Grande Valley. He has served more than 15 years as a community organizer and activist working with local, state, and national governments to address education, equity, and immigration issues. His passion for connecting public policy and government with communities led him to work as a legislative staffer for the United States Congress and the Texas Senate. Recently, he served as a legislative assistant for State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa.
Giovanni grew up in Dallas, where he had the opportunity to attend and graduate from Thomas Jefferson High School, a Texas Title I public school. He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley. As a proud first-generation college graduate, Giovanni is thrilled to work alongside his South Texas community to strengthen public education.
