Legislators Consider a STAAR by a Different Name
HB 8 and SB 8 go beyond HB 4 by providing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) with power over test development and adoption and maintaining an end-of-year exam like the STAAR. Districts would continue to administer the STAAR test until new tests are ready for use, in 2027-2028. The single STAAR test would be replaced with three tests throughout the year, with the beginning-of-year and middle-of-year tests being norm-referenced, and the end-of-year test being criterion-referenced. Each test is expected to take between one hour and 1.5 hours to complete.
On Wednesday, the Senate Education Committee both heard and approved SB 8, sending it to the full Senate for consideration.
The last day of the special session is August 19, unless legislators adjourn earlier. Governor Abbott, if unsatisfied, can continue to call special sessions until the next regular session begins in January 2027.
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Community Censorship Tied Up in Texas House
The threshold for registration is fairly low, and it comes with ethics and reporting requirements. There is no way that a governmental relations employee for an education association could not register unless they were not engaging at all with lawmakers or their staff.
Although SB 12 is aimed at larger organizations, TCASE and other smaller educator associations could get caught in the crossfire, either now or in the future. This would significantly reduce our ability to shape laws based on TCASE member input, at a time when laws are already so far removed from the realities of student, educator and family needs.
SB 12 is waiting to be referred to committee in the Texas House, but the House is currently at a standstill due to a quorum break by Texas Democrats over congressional redistricting.
Please take action on this matter by messaging your lawmaker, on your own time and personal device, to share how TCASE advocacy has impacted you.
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Senate Rejects Trump Admin Education Cuts
Several Republican senators expressed concern that the cuts and the freeze contradict the administration’s stated support for local control. During the hearing, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia noted the harm caused to school districts already finalizing budgets for the new academic year.
The full Senate is expected to consider the bill in September.
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Schwinn Withdraws Ed Dept Nomination
After leaving Texas, Schwinn served as Tennessee’s education commissioner from 2019 to 2023, where she focused on literacy and tutoring initiatives. Her nomination by the Trump administration was initially seen as a more bipartisan pick. However, opposition from conservative groups in Tennessee, who criticized her for supporting equity initiatives and pandemic-era policies, led to growing resistance.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised Schwinn’s experience and confirmed that she will remain in the department as a senior adviser. The administration has not yet named a new nominee for the deputy secretary post.