State Board of Education Conducts
Listening Tours Across the State
Regional meetings began last week to gather input for the new Long-Range Plan for Public Education now being developed by the State Board of Education (SBOE).
Texas PTA’s President-Elect Sheri Doss is a member of the 18-member Long-Range Plan for Public Education Steering Committee, made up of educators, parents, state and local board members, business officials, college professors, state agency representatives and a student. The steering committee is meeting with Texans around the state to hear firsthand about their concerns and their hopes for Texas public schools.
The goal of these community meetings is to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. Information gained through the meetings, a statewide online survey, and the work of the Steering Committee will be used to craft a strategic plan for education through the year 2030. We encourage PTA members to attend a community meeting in your area.
The first community meeting was held Thursday, November 2nd, at the El Paso Community College in El Paso, and the most recent community meeting was held Tuesday, November 14th at Region 7 Education Service Center in Kilgore. The Steering Committee met in Austin on Monday, November 6th to discuss two topics:
  • family empowerment and engagement, and
  • equity and access to funding and advanced courses.
Interim Charges Announced
During the 18-month interim period between each Texas legislative session, the House and the Senate study issues of interest to legislators and the public. These issues are called Interim Charges and they are assigned to relevant committees for study. Hearings are held to take public input on the issues and a report on each charge is submitted to the governor and the leader in the chamber of origin – House interim charges report to the Speaker of the House and Senate interim charges report to the Lt. Governor.
Texas PTA monitors all relevant interim charges and participates in interim hearings when appropriate. A list of interim charges Texas PTA is monitoring may be found here.
Hearings often begin in the spring, after primary elections, although there are exceptions such as this fall’s interim hearings on Hurricane Harvey relief.
Governor Abbott Names Chair and Appoints Four To Texas Commission On Public School Finance
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Scott Brister, Melissa Martin, Elvira Reyna, and Todd Williams to the Texas Commission on Public School Finance for terms at the pleasure of the Governor. Additionally, the Governor has named Brister chair of the commission. The commission is charged with developing recommendations for the legislature on public school funding and preparing a report to deliver by the end of 2018 to the Governor and legislature of recommendations to improve the public school finance system.
A few weeks ago Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick named his appointees to the commission. They are Senate Education Chairman Larry Taylor, Senator Paul Bettencourt, Senator Royce West, and Pflugerville ISD Superintendent Doug Killian. Speaker Joe Straus is expected to name his commissioners in the weeks to come.
Community Meetings
Tuesday, December 5th
Region 11 ESC

1451 S. Cherry Lane
White Settlement, TX

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

RSVP
Wednesday, December 6th
Dallas County Community College

El Centro West - Multipurpose Room

3330 N. Hampton Road

Dallas, TX

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
RSVP
Saturday, January 9th
Region 20 ESC

Hickory, Laurel and Magnolia Rooms

1314 Hines Avenue

San Antonio, TX

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 8th
Region 4 ESC

7145 W. Tidwell
Houston, TX

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Additional community meetings will be scheduled in 2018. RSVP links for community meetings held in 2018 will be forthcoming.
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