Texas Education CAFE™ Advocacy Network |
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Texas Policy Weekly Update |
Each week, we are sharing the latest news about what's happening in Texas education policy and how you can make your voice heard.
In this issue
- Coming Up: Week of May 3
- IDRA Office Hours Assistance – Submit your Comments this Week
- Texas House to Vote on Bill that Limits Speech, Ideas and Participation in Schools
- Highlights from Last Week
- Video Advocacy Campaign: Digitally Divided, Community United
- Tools & Resources
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Hearings and activities this week will address:
- Final stages of bills to make individual graduation committees permanent;
- Moving bills that support emergent bilingual students through the final stages of the legislative process; and
- Stopping HB 3979 to protect free speech in schools.
You can watch the hearings live online. Each hearing covers multiple bills (click the links below to see the agendas). For hearings in the Texas House, you can submit comments about any of the bills being discussed during the hearing using an online portal (even if they've moved on to a different bill).
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Tuesday, May 4
Public Education Committee
Thursday, May 6
Higher Education Committee
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Tuesday, May 4
Senate Education Committee
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Submit Your Comments this Week |
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IDRA holds virtual office hours to walk you through the process of submitting public comments online |
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Every Monday afternoon, IDRA helps students, families, educators and community members submit their own comments on education bills being debated by Texas lawmakers that week. #ShareYourStory
What happens during IDRA’s virtual office hours?
- Get information on bills that will be heard by lawmakers that week.
- Summarize your own story and how a proposed bill would impact schools in your community.
- See how to use Texas’ online public comment portal so you can share your thoughts and ideas with lawmakers. Submit your comments!
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Mondays • 4:30-5:30 pm cst
Bilingual event in English & Spanish
Register once to get the link and come back any time.
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Note: IDRA will assist with bill information and the comment process, not on influencing a participant’s position. |
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Texas House to Vote on Bill that Limits Speech, Ideas and Participation in Schools |
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On Tuesday, members of the Texas House will cast votes on HB 3979, a harmful bill that would prohibit Texas schools from discussing important topics related to race, gender and justice in social studies, government, civics and history courses. HB 3979 attempts to control students' and teachers' thoughts and discussions of current events and social justice issues in schools. It mischaracterizes the important conversations about diversity and equity that are happening in schools, homes and workplaces across the country.
Additionally, the bill would prohibit schools from accessing private funding for certain curriculum development and materials and would prohibit students from participating in civics activities for course credit.
You can help today! Call your Representative and ask them to vote AGAINST HB 3979!
For more information contact Ana Ramón, IDRA's Deputy Director of Advocacy at ana.ramon@idra.org.
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Highlights from Last Week |
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Testimony Stresses Importance of the Texas Top Ten Percent Plan |
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IDRA and coalition partners led the public testimony to protect the Texas Top Ten Percent Plan. The text of IDRA's testimony is below as well as three videos of testimony.
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Dr. Altheria Caldera, IDRA Education Policy Fellow |
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Will Davies, Policy & Data Analyst, Breakthrough Central Texas, and representing the Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition (TLEEC) |
Luis Figueroa, J.D., Legislative & Policy Director at Every Texan |
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IDRA also submitted the following testimony:
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TEA Announces Release of $11.2 billion in Federal Relief for Schools |
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The Texas Education Agency announced it will distribute more than $11 billion in COVID-19 relief funds to Texas public schools. These funds, allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), can be used to address many different costs and must be used to address learning loss.
These funds are from the Round 3 set of funds. TEA has not yet accessed the Round 2 federal funds to which the state is entitled, including $5.5 billion in ESSER II funds.
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Senate Approves Bills for Serving Emergent Bilingual Students |
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The Texas Senate passed SB 2066 to change terms in the Texas Education Code from "limited English proficient" and "English learner" to the more valuing "emergent bilingual." See IDRA's testimony (and video).
The Senate also passed SB 560 to create a statewide plan for improving bilingual education.See IDRA's testimony (and video).
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Digitally Divided, Community United
Students, Parents, Educators:
How has the digital divide impacted you?
We need your voice! Record a 15-second testimony
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A new digital equity video campaign will uplift the voices of Texas community members impacted by the digital divide.
The Texas Legislature is considering measures to support broadband access. Using a virtual platform, we are inviting students, families, community members and educators to share their stories about how the digital divide has impacted their learning and their lives. Education equity is a key component of the digital divide.
We have set up a virtual platform for you to record a 15-second video in English or Spanish about how the digital divide has impacted you and what digital equity means to you.
It's a fun way to have an impact!
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5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78228
Phone: 210-444-1710
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