Students still have learning gaps four years after the COVID-19 pandemic. More teachers enter the classroom without rigorous training. Administrators say they’re struggling to pay for security upgrades after the Uvalde massacre. Now, Texas is at the center of debates over whether public funds should be used for private schooling.
Here’s what you need to know about education policy, including recent developments and which elections to watch.
Who are the key elected officials who impact education?
Decisions about your neighborhood public school are largely made by the locally elected board of trustees.
Local school boards: School board elections are typically held in May. These are the folks who pass the district’s budget, hire (or fire) the superintendent and decide on school policies – such as whether kids can have cellphones on campus or how library books are chosen.
State Legislature: State elected officials decide how local public schools are funded and what students must learn to graduate.
Congress and the president: In Washington, D.C., policymakers control things such as the enforcement of students’ civil rights and how schools spend federal money.
What decisions have been made recently that have had an impact?
School funding: The way Texas public schools are funded is based on complicated formulas. The foundational building block is called the “basic allotment.” It’s the amount of money schools receive for each child who attends. Since 2019, the basic allotment has remained stagnant at $6,160. Efforts during the last legislative session to boost this allotment failed when they were caught up in the fight over education savings accounts that would allow families to use public money to pay for private school tuition. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to prioritize this voucherlike policy in the upcoming session.
Textbooks: The State Board of Education reviews lesson plans and textbooks based on Texas standards. Board members are in the midst of considering state-crafted learning materials that include religious stories. State officials believe this would give students the ability to more deeply understand literary references and historical events. Critics are concerned about the growing influence of Christianity in public schools.
DEI bans: The Legislature prohibited public colleges and universities from having DEI offices and holding diversity, equity and inclusion activities and programs. The bill’s author, Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, sent a letter to university leaders in the spring, informing them that changing names of programs but still pursuing the same DEI work would not be considered compliance with the law. Schools risk millions in state funding if they break the mandate.
What races should I pay attention to in this election?
State House and Senate races are significant when it comes to education. Whoever wins the presidency will have influence over student loan forgiveness, civil rights enforcement and other federal issues.
A few Texas House races are of particular note as Abbott supported candidates who were running against incumbents who opposed his school choice agenda. Two of those races are in North Texas but not in Dallas County.
- House District 58: Republican Helen Kirwin vs. Libertarian Richard Windmann
- House District 62: Republican Shelley Luther vs. Democrat Tiffany Drake
- State Board of Education, District 12: Republican Pam Little vs. Democrat George King
- State Board of Education, District 11: Republican Brandon Hall vs. Democrat Rayna Glasser vs. Green Party Hunter Crow
Check which district you live in here.
Where can I learn more?
Check out our Voter Guide, available Sept. 30, to learn more about the candidates running.
You can also read more about key education issues at dallasnews.com/education.
