Governor Abbott Continues to Push Voucher Scam Despite Public Opposition
Despite two-thirds of Texans opposing his private school voucher program (29% support, 65% oppose), Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference this week alongside Lt. Gov.Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows, declaring he had the votes to pass House Bill 3, his latest voucher scheme.
Abbott also announced that the House Public Education Committee will vote on HB 3 next week (we’ll see). In a bizarre move, he invited former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to speak about Arizona’s disastrous voucher program, which created a $1.4 billion budget shortfall and forced deep cuts to essential services — all while primarily benefiting wealthy families with children already in private school.
Ahead of the press conference, the Texas House Democratic Caucus invited Austin ISD fifth-grade math teacher Tay Carriker-Cavin, an Education Austin member, to deliver a powerful lesson in “Voucher Math.” With a chalkboard and the harsh facts of Arizona’s voucher failure, she demonstrated the financial consequences of diverting public school funds to private institutions.
Abbott’s focus on failed voucher programs ignores the real needs of Texas public schools. We urge supporters of public schools to keep calling the members of the House Public Education Committee and tell them ‘Hell No!’ to voucher scams.
Educators Come Together to Brainstorm Real Solutions
This week, following the committee hearing on student discipline bill HB 6, Texas AFT President Zeph Capo gathered active and retired educators to discuss classroom discipline. Texas AFT members, through their Educator’s Bill of Rights, emphasize that schools must be properly funded to offer fair wages, reduce class sizes, and provide mental health support — key factors in addressing discipline issues.
Budget cuts have had devastating impacts. Austin ISD lost behavior specialists, while Midland ISD cut family liaison positions that supported parent engagement. In Houston ISD, behavior specialists and librarians were removed, with some libraries converted into discipline centers.
Educators also highlighted the need for educator-driven training on classroom and behavior management, especially with the growing number of uncertified teachers. Texas AFT is advocating for HB 1334 by Rep. Josey Garcia to remove financial barriers for special education and bilingual certification, and to waive administrative fees for certification exams — a critical step in supporting teachers and students alike.
In a letter to lawmakers across the Capitol, Capo summed up the discussion with our classroom members, “It is incumbent upon Texas to find a healthy balance between showing zero tolerance for violent behavior and getting kids who make mistakes the support they need to address the behavior and make better decisions in the future … we have ideas that are cost-effective and proven to improve behavior management in the classroom and across the school, and we stand ready to assist in improving the legislation up for debate this session.”
Those ideas include:
- Mental Health Supports: Bills must provide mental health resources for both students and teachers.
- Clear Path Back to Class: Establish clear guidelines for students returning from disciplinary actions, ensuring communication with parents, students, and teachers.
- Behavioral Interventions: Require defined behavioral support and staff check-ins for removed students.
- Non-Punitive Approach: Ensure removals and placements in alternative programs are supportive, not punitive.
- Assault Leave Policy: Mandate clear communication and prompt approval of assault leave for employees.
- Mental Health Support for Educators: Provide required notification and access to mental health counseling for teachers after an assault, with mandatory counseling for the students involved.
- Age-Appropriate Consequences: Ensure disciplinary actions are fair, with a focus on investigating root causes of violent behavior in young children and providing family counseling and therapy.
- Educator Consent: Prevent returning a student who assaulted a teacher to the same classroom without the teacher’s consent.
- Just and Restorative Discipline: Prioritize relationship-building and counseling over punitive measures to truly change behavior.
- Address Root Causes: Invest in wrap-around services, including counseling and behavioral therapy, to tackle underlying issues, rather than relying solely on punitive responses.
Lawmakers Offer Other “Solutions” on Classroom Discipline
In our annual survey, 71% of respondents noted that unmanageable class sizes were their No. 1 safety concern. “Crowd control” is not a good classroom management style, and we want teachers to be able to prevent discipline problems before they happen.
We’re thankful for HB 3384 by Rep. Alma Allen and Rep. Aicha Davis, a bill that would close the class size exemption loophole in District of Innovation plans. Unfortunately, the House Public Education Committee has so far focused on other “solutions” instead of increasing funding, lowering class size, and adding mental health and behavioral supports.
House Public Education Committee Recap
HB 7 by Rep. Jeff Leach — labeled as a “parents’ bill of rights” — proposes greater transparency and a grievance process for parents, while also closing loopholes on educator misconduct. However, Texas AFT opposed the bill due to concerns about unchecked authority given to the unelected commissioner of education. We hope to offer Leach substantive feedback to improve this bill, as well as HB 6, his student discipline bill.
Bills Voted Out of Committee:
- HB 210 (Rep. Ryan Guillen) – Prohibits school districts from contracting with vendors tied to school board members, now extended to include charter schools.
- HB 213 (Rep. Mary González) – Counts chronically absent students as at-risk for funding purposes.
- HB 222 (Rep. James Talarico) – Allows school safety funds to support teacher training on behavioral management.
- HB 610 (Rep. Leo Wilson) – Caps superintendent severance packages at six months’ pay.
- HB 1085 (Rep. Pat Curry) – Adds a new Lifetime Recreation and Outdoor Pursuits course for high school credit.
One positive was HB 2249 by Rep. Diego Bernal which proposes a Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, offering $10,000 per year in scholarships for students who commit to four years of teaching.
Senate Passes Budget, Education Committee Meets on Discipline Bills
This week, the Texas Senate took some steps to fund public education by unanimously passing its draft of the biennial budget with about $71 billion allotted for the Foundation School Program, the main source of state funding for Texas’ K-12 public schools. More than $4.3 billion would be reserved for targeted teacher pay raises under a Senate bill that proposes salary boosts for instructors based on student outcomes, which Texas AFT continues to oppose.
The Senate Education Committee K-16 met twice this week; Tuesday’s agenda dealt primarily with a number of bills touching on student discipline and truancy. A series of bills would make it easier for disruptive students to be removed from the classroom, expelled to juvenile detention centers for alternative school, or even charged with misdemeanors.
- Senate Bill 1871: Relates to discipline management, including the offense of exhibiting, using, or threatening to exhibit or use a firearm or weapon in or on school property or on a school bus and access to telehealth mental health services in public schools.
- SB 1924: Relating to the enforcement of certain criminal offenses on school property.
The committee substitute for SB 1871 combines four bills by Sen. Charles Perry: SB 1871, SB 1872, SB 1873, and SB 1874. While the bill includes stronger provisions for removing students for abusive or violent behavior, Texas AFT supports ensuring due process and maintaining academic progress for removed students.
SB 1924 by Sen. Brandon Creighton proposes changes to when citations can be issued and complaints filed. While prioritizing teacher safety is essential, we believe maintaining graduated sanctions is critical to ensure fair and effective discipline.
The committee also heard SB 27 by Sen. Brandon Creighton which is known as a “teacher’s bill of rights.” Texas AFT’s Kelsey Kling testified in favor of the bill and thanked Creighton for including a requirement for teachers to receive notice of a campus threat. This is a transparency and communication measure our members were vocal about during the development of our legislative priorities, and we again thank the senator’s office for being open and receptive to this change in law. The bill also includes some language to protect teachers from adverse disciplinary action by the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) for abandoning a contract for good cause. The bill was voted out of committee and is now headed to the Senate floor.