The TEPSA Advocacy Committee and other volunteer leaders will share the following legislative priorities with Texas lawmakers during visits to the State Capitol in January and February. The Legislative Session runs January 10 – May 29.
Investing in Texas public schools is crucial to the success of our great state. The increasing demands on our public school children, educators, and their communities are far-reaching and ever-changing. State policies that address long-term solutions to equity and fairness for all students are needed now more than ever.
Equitable Funding
Modernize the school finance system to fund Texas schools at a level that meets the needs of a growing and diverse student population.
- Increase the state share of the Foundation School Program to equal or surpass the national average.
- Support a finance system that is equitable and fair for all students.
- Keep public dollars in public schools by opposing taxpayer subsidies to private entities. These include Tax Credit Scholarships, Education Savings Accounts, and vouchers for students in special education.
- Support equitable funding, expansion, and accountability policies that require all publicly funded schools to equally serve every student in their communities.
Safe Schools
Ensure school and community environments are safe and supportive for all students and educators.
- Invest in mental health resources including ongoing mental and behavioral health support for students and educators.
- Fully fund school safety and health initiatives with flexibility in how districts utilize these funds to meet the needs of local schools and communities.
- Provide flexibility for teachers and principals to appropriately manage disruptive or dangerous students while meeting their educational needs.
Student Success
Implement targeted supports that meet the needs of all students.
- Provide formula-funded, voluntary, full-day prekindergarten that furthers the goal of closing gaps in educational proficiency.
- Support equitable, high-quality prekindergarten programs that include mental wellness and other ‘wraparound’ services.
- Provide adequate funding for principal, teacher, and educator training to address the needs of our most challenging populations allowing districts to determine the best use of these funds for their students.
- Remove unfunded, rigid teacher training in lieu of fully-funded, flexible, districtwide initiatives.
Strong Educator Workforce
Create sustainable systems to increase educator pipeline.
- Strengthen the teacher workforce by enhancing recruitment and retention programs to ensure high-quality educators enter and remain in the field.
- Invest in educators by improving compensation and work environments, including ensuring that educators have adequate administrative support to focus on teaching.
- Comprehensive Accountability
- Measure the progress of the whole child and move beyond high-stakes exams.
- Evaluate student academic growth using a comprehensive accountability system that provides meaningful and valuable progress data for students, parents, and teachers, and includes flexible measures valued by local communities.
- Limit the number of required assessments to those mandated by the federal government.
Right to Advocate
Protect the right of educators and education associations to freely advocate for school leaders, students, schools, and their profession.
- Oppose bills that would limit or prohibit advocacy efforts from education association professionals.
- Keep educator voices in committee meetings by opposing bills designed to silence their professional associations.
Retirement Benefits
Safeguard the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).
- Preserve the defined benefits plan for retired educators and ensure financial stability of the active and retiree healthcare systems.
- Increase state funding to assist with increased healthcare costs associated with TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care.
