Capitol Watch Alert Archive
Action Alert: Share Your Voucher Concerns with Your Representatives
On Monday, May 9, 2022, Gov. Greg Abbott made a public statement in which he expressed support for parents receiving public taxpayer dollars to pay for their children to attend private schools. This means that legislation to create a taxpayer-funded voucher program...
May 2022 Interim Legislative Hearings
House Hearings May 5: House Committee on Higher Education The committee will meet Thursday, May 5, at 10 a.m. in room E2.010 of the Capitol extension to hear invited and public testimony on interim charges. Topics of interest to TASA members include: Review progress...
TRS Sets Rates for 2022-23 TRS-ActiveCare – No Premium Increase
The TRS Board of Trustees voted on Thursday, April 28, 2022, to move TRS-ActiveCare to regional ratings to ensure prices reflect the cost of health care in each region. In doing so, none of the 20 Education Service Center regions will see a price increase for the...
House Pub Ed Holds First Hearing Since Interim Charges Released
The House Committee on Public Education held its first interim hearing on April 26, 2022. State of the Public Education System The meeting started with lengthy testimony on the state of the public education system by Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath (see...
April/May 2022 Interim Legislative Hearings
House Hearings April 20: House International Relations & Economic Development Committee The committee will meet Wednesday, April 20, at 11 a.m. in room E2.012 of the Capitol extension to hear invited testimony only. Topics of interest to TASA members include:...
Examples of ESSER Information and Plans Posted on School District Websites
Lubbock-Cooper ISD Clint ISD Aldine ISD Tornillo ISD Miami ISD Allen ISD Klein ISD Canadian ISD Happy ISD Port Aransas ISD Dime Box ISD Evadale ISD Edgewood ISD Burnet CISD Lufkin ISD San Antonio ISD Snyder ISD Forney ISD Alief ISD El Paso ISD Tomball ISD Uvalde ISD...
May 2022 Election Information
May 2022 includes two important election days. May 7 Election The uniform election date in May of an even-numbered year is a date on which many local political subdivisions, such as cities, school districts, and water districts, have their regular general elections...
Senate Interim Charges Released
On April 4, 2022, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released interim charges for the Texas Senate. TASA staff has compiled the following list of various charges that impact Texas public schools. See the full list of Senate interim charges. Education Committee Parent Empowerment:...
House Interim Committee Charges Released
On Thursday, March 10, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan issued House interim committee charges for the 87th Legislature. “The interim charges will help guide the House heading into the 88th Legislature, as committees gain input from Texans, research potential...
House Public Education Committee Raises Concerns Over Enrollment Declines
The House Public Education Committee sent a letter March 8, 2022, to Commissioner of Education Mike Morath expressing concern over ADA funding that has been dramatically impacted due to COVID. The letter acknowledges the significant impact on school district budgets...
SBEC Adopts Rules on Contract Abandonment After Striking the Most Detrimental Rule for Students
On Friday, December 10, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met to adopt proposed rules related to Rep. Drew Darby’s HB 2519, passed during the regular 87th Legislative Session. Among other changes, the law established that: 1) SBEC can no longer...
TEA Suspends MOE Deadline – Seeking USDE Clarification
On November 29, 2021, TEA released the information below noting that the agency is suspending the local MOEquity deadlines while they seek clarification from USDE: Outstanding Questions TEA has been working diligently to address LEAs’ questions regarding local...
TEA Releases 2020-2023 ARP ESSER III Federal Grant Application Final Amounts
On November 29, 2021, TEA sent the following correspondence to notify recipients of the 2020-2023 ARP ESSER III Federal Grant that the final award amounts are available and the process for claiming the final award amount: Final Allocations Final ARP ESSER III...
Leadership Organizations Join TASA and TACS to Oppose Proposed SBEC Rules that Expand Allowances for Contract Abandonment
The representatives of seven other leadership organizations joined TASA and TACS to submit public comments to the Texas Register opposing proposed State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule changes to 19 TAC Chapter §249.17, Decision-Making Guidelines for...
Public Comment Period Opens for SBEC Proposed Rules that Will Expand Allowances for Contract Abandonment Without Sanction
We encourage TASA members, district human resources leaders, and principals to carefully review SBEC’s proposed rules that would expand mitigating factors and good cause considerations for teachers to abandon their district contracts. The opportunity to provide public...
SBEC Majority Votes to Advance Proposed Rules to Expand Allowances for Contract Abandonment
At the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meeting on Friday, October 1, the Board heard a discussion item that would establish rules to implement the requirements of HB 2519, as passed during the 87th Regular Legislative Session. Some of the rule changes...
September 21: Senate Finance Committee to Meet on SB 1
The Texas Senate Finance Committee has posted a public hearing notice for 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 21. The committee will consider SB 1 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt relating to a temporary reduction in the maximum compressed tax rate (MCR) of a school district and the...
TEA Updates FAQ on HB 4545
TEA has updated the FAQ document on HB 4545. View the updated FAQs. Two Questions Added to the TEA HB 4545 FAQs: 20. How should districts track accelerated instruction for students who transfer to another Texas school district? It is recommended that school districts...
Governor Signs SB 15 – Virtual School Bill
Late Thursday, September 9, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law SB 15, which allows school districts and charter schools to receive full ADA funding for students who attend a local remote learning program at any time during the 2021-22 school year if the remote...
Texas Senate and House Adjourn Sine Die for the Second Called Special Session
Last night the 87th Legislature adjourned its Second Called Special Session, sine die, after passing Sen. Bryan Hughes’ SB 3 (also known as the critical race theory bill), adding funding for a 13th TRS check, and restoring funding for the legislative branch of...