Education advocates from across the Rio Grande Valley made their voices heard throughout the 88th Texas Legislative Session. From local press conferences about assessment and accountability to Capitol visits, and to emailing and calling their legislators, teachers, students, and administrators actively engaged in advocacy.
Why was there such energy and engagement from the Valley? Because the stakes have never been higher for Texas public schools. Our public education system ranks 41st in the country for funding, our assessment and accountability system does not measure what matters, and our teachers are overworked and underpaid. Moreover, school vouchers threaten to take tax dollars away from public schools and send them to private schools with no accountability for results. For these reasons and more, local educators knew it was time to get involved.
Education savings accounts would allow some families to use public tax dollars like a coupon for private schools. Valley public education advocates stepped forward and participated as part of a robust campaign that included more than 23,000 emails and calls to legislators from their constituents sharing their opposition to vouchers, something that has been at the forefront of discussions across the state this session.
Advocates were also ready to speak out about teacher pay and Texas’ STAAR-based public school accountability system, ensuring their voices were heard on a range of topics.
Courtney Hill, a seventh-grade social studies teacher from Port Isabel ISD, felt the urgency. “Lending our expert opinions and voices about how policies are actually impacting our students is critical to ensuring that our state makes public education a priority,” she said. Hill traveled to Austin as part of Raise Your Hand Texas’ Teacher Advocacy Days, an initiative created to educate and engage Texas teachers in the advocacy process. Teachers shared their perspectives on many issues, but salary increases were their top priority. Hill was joined by seven other Rio Grande Valley educators in mid-February, and the visit was facilitated by Raise Your Hand Texas Senior Regional Advocacy Director Giovanni Escobedo alongside Teacher Specialist JoLisa Hoover.
“It was inspiring to see educators from the Rio Grande Valley bring their stories, experiences, and expertise to the offices of state elected officials,” Giovanni Escobedo said. “The legislators wanted to hear about their challenges, as well as their proposed solutions.”
Just days before the State Capitol visits, Rio Grande Valley educators, students, parents, superintendents, business leaders, and community members participated in a press conference at the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce to voice their concerns about the state’s assessment and accountability system for rating students and school campuses, especially its over-reliance on standardized test scores.
As part of a statewide campaign, Measure What Matters, stakeholders urged state lawmakers to expand beyond the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test results to evaluate the quality of public school campuses and districts.
Clarissa Riojas, a teacher at McAllen ISD, described the detrimental effects of STAAR on students, educators, and the teaching profession. "I dread this time of year," she said. "Students are mentally and physically drained, educators are stressed, demoralized, and burned out. Increasingly, many of us are choosing to opt out of teaching. The sparks of innovation are diminished and the excitement that first drew me to the profession becomes obsolete."
Later in the legislative session, a group of seven students from grades four to 11 traveled from Los Fresnos CISD for an advocacy day at the Capitol. The visit embodied the qualities the district promotes through its profile of a graduate, including future-ready innovative thinkers and leaders; effective communicators; conscientious citizens; and lifelong learners. The students spoke about their favorite teachers to legislators and gave their perspectives on why they believe their teachers deserve a raise. This group was also supported by Raise Your Hand’s Giovanni Escobedo.
“The students were prepared and confident as they shared their opinions with elected officials,” Escobedo said. “They learned about the legislative process and how important it is to advocate to shape policy and the future of our communities.”
In addition to these groups, there were other educators who traveled to Austin to advocate for specific legislation. Teachers from Lyford CISD, Los Fresnos CISD, and Lasara ISD testified in front of legislative committee members about Senate Bill 8 and Senate Bill 9, waiting hours at a time at the Capitol to speak up for their communities.
Although traveling in person to the State Capitol in Austin can be a challenge, these educators and students knew the 350 miles was worth the advocacy journey. And they encourage their fellow Texans to get involved in future legislative sessions in whatever way possible. Thelma Martinez, a high school special education teacher from Lyford CISD said, “I will encourage others, if you can’t travel, write your legislators. Let your voice be heard. They need to know what happens down in the Valley.”
On May 14, 2023, Governor Abbott shared a public statement saying, “ failure to expand the scope of school choice…will necessitate special sessions.” More work is needed at the Capitol to stand against school vouchers, secure a raise for Texas teachers, and reimagine the STAAR-based accountability system to ensure our schools are measured by more than just one test on one day.
Now is the time for your voice to be heard and to make a difference in the lives of public school students and families.
Editor's Note: The above guest column was penned by Raise Your Hand Texas, a non-partisan nonprofit working to educate, engage and activate public education-minded advocates year round. To get involved, contact Giovanni Escobedo at gescobedo@ryht.org.
Producing quality journalism is not cheap. The coronavirus has resulted in falling revenues across the newsrooms of the United States. However, The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service is committed to producing quality news reporting on the issues that matter to border residents. The support of our members is vital in ensuring our mission gets fulfilled.
Can we count on your support? If so, click HERE. Thank you!
