View as Webpage • January 10, 2023

State Legislators Can Decide to Put Children First

IDRA’s Policy Priorities for Texas and Georgia Call for Bold Action to Prepare All Students for a Strong Future

Decisions made by state-level officials have a profound impact on the quality of education the state provides to its students. Key policies involve how education is funded, the curriculum teachers use, the types of instructional programs schools must offer and much more. Many policies and practices have led to inequitable educational opportunities for students.

Since our founding 50 years ago, IDRA has provided analysis and guidance to policymakers nationally while engaging with communities, educators and students on policy issues to ensure all students have access to equitable and excellent education.

As the Texas Legislature and the Georgia General Assembly open this week, IDRA is releasing our policy priorities to promote educational justice, build excellent and equitable schools, and protect the civil rights of systemically-excluded students, particularly those who are Black, Latino and/or emergent bilingual students.

Sign up for Texas advocacy alerts and Georgia advocacy alerts in English or Spanish.

IDRA Priorities for the Texas Legislative Session

IDRA has set five priorities for the 2023 Texas legislative session…

Secure fair school funding

State funding for public schools remains below 50% and does not account for inflation or actual costs of education. 

Ensure excellent educational opportunities for emergent bilingual students

Emergent bilingual students have the right to excellent schools that support bilingualism and biliteracy in both a student’s home language and English. Certified bilingual education teachers are in short supply and have been for over 30 years. 

Promote culturally-sustaining school climates that support all students

Recent classroom censorship policies have made schools less safe or supportive for students, especially for students who are Black, Latino and identify as LGBTQ+, and are significantly more likely to experience identity-based discrimination.

Create safer schools without harmful discipline practices

Texas schools regularly practice ineffective exclusionary discipline and costly surveillance strategies. Texas remains one of 19 states that allow corporal punishment of students. These policies do more harm than good.

Prepare all students to access and succeed in college

Only 53% of Texas students graduate college ready, with significant disparities across race-ethnicity, language and income. All students should have the opportunity to access and succeed in college.

IDRA Priorities for the Georgia General Assembly Session

IDRA has set four priorities for the 2023 Georgia legislative session…

Secure full and fair school funding for Georgia’s public schools

Ever since Georgia passed the Quality Basic Education Act in 1985, the public education system has been consistently underfunded by more than $10 billion. 

Ensure excellent educational opportunities for emergent bilingual and immigrant students

Despite being home to the seventh largest population of emergent bilingual students in the country, Georgia continues to under-resourced critical language programs in schools.

Create Safer Schools Without Harmful Disciplinary Practices

Georgia’s students should have access to safe and supportive learning environments where teachers and school administrators do not rely on harmful exclusionary discipline and policing strategies. Instead, we must invest in research-based strategies that support positive school climates and student success. 

Promote Culturally-Sustaining School Climates that Support All Students

Culturally-sustaining schools create positive, safe and supportive school climates for all students to receive high-quality educational opportunities to succeed. Recent classroom censorship policies have made schools less safe or supportive for students.

Sign up for Texas advocacy alerts and Georgia advocacy alerts in English or Spanish.

IDRA is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college.