Education Policy

Texas Education Advocacy

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 its founding almost 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.


Learn more about IDRA’s policy recommendations for Texas (and Español).

See our policy priorities for Texas’ Third Special Session.

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Resources 

Texas Education Policy Updates 2023

See policy alerts from 2023

Changing Policy

A Policy Agenda to Support Black Students, IDRA, February 2024

Joint Statement: Opening Arguments Delivered in Federal Appeals Case Challenging Constitutionality of Texas’ Book Rating Law, November 29, 2023

Adopting District of Innovation Status Would Harm Houston ISD Students and Teachers – TLEEC Letter Submitted to Houston Independent School District’s District Advisory Committee, November 14, 2023

Policy Brief: Keep Public Funds in Texas Public Schools – Reject Harmful Private School Voucher Programs  Invest In Public Education, Public Funds Public Schools, May 2023

Issue Brief: Identity-based Bullying in Texas Schools – Policy Recommendations – IDRA Issue Brief, by Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., & Makiah Lyons, April 2023

Issue Brief: Hitting Hurts – The Case for Ending Corporal Punishment in Texas – IDRA Issue Brief, by Morgan Craven, J.D., April 2023

Bill Filed: Texas Must Prohibit and Prevent Racial Bullying in Schools – Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus, Texas Legislative Black Caucus and IDRA Call on the Legislature to Protect Students from Identity-based Bullying and Harassment, March 10, 2023

Issue Brief: How Texas Schools Are Funded – And Why that Matters to Collective Success – Issue Brief, By Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D., August 2022

Video gallery: Student Testimony Against Classroom Censorship

Video gallery: Student Testimony Against Transgender Sports Exclusion Bills

Video gallery: IDRA Education Advocacy and Testimony 

What does Texas HB 3979 do?

A note from Celina: Amplifying Texas’ People Power in a Legislative Session Marked by Harmful Policies, June 2, 2021

HB 3979 Conflicts with Established TEKS and Proven Effective Teaching Strategies, – IDRA Analysis, May 3, 2021

TEA Announces Release of $11.2 billion in Federal Relief for Schools, April 28, 2021

Texas Education Advocacy Video Gallery

IDRA’s Priority Bills for Education in Texas – Community Voices Matter (English) • (Español), March 18, 2021

Priority Brief: Fair Funding for Strong Public School Education – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

Priority Brief: Breaking the School-to-Prison and School-to-Deportation Pipelines – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

Priority Brief: Grow and Sustain School District Health – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

Priority Brief: Keep the Public in Public Education – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

Priority Brief: Excellent Education for English Learners – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

Priority Brief: College Preparation and Access that Expands Opportunities – IDRA Texas Priority Brief

A Comprehensive Equity Approach to Addressing COVID-19’s Impact on Schools – Policy Recommendations

• Policy Comments, Testimony and Policy Updates in 2023

See policy comments and testimony in 2023

• Policy Comments and Testimony in 2022

See policy comments and testimony in 2022

• Policy Comments and Testimony in 2021

See comments and testimony during the 2021 legislative sessions

Engaging Communities

IDRA partnered with other civil rights and educational equity organizations to demand that school districts immediately stop their anti-LGBTQ+ activities and policies.

IDRA partnered with other civil rights and educational equity organizations to demand that school districts immediately return the books they had removed from its school library shelves. Most of the books focus on histories of racism and discrimination and the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color.

Learn about Texas Classroom Censorship Laws

HB 3979 & SB3 limit speech and engagement in Texas classrooms! webpage with link to videos

Organizations Opposing Texas HB 3979, May 10, 2021

Historians, parents say Texas bill limiting instruction about race and current events hurt, by Gabriela Vidal, CBS Austin, May 21, 2021

Historians decry Texas bill that would restrict school lessons on race, racism, by Jeremy Blackman, Brittany Britto, Staff writers, San Antonio Express-News, May 21, 2021

Critical Race Theory Ban in Classrooms Approved by Senate Committee, Stripped of Democrat Changes, by Isiah Mitchell, The Texan, May 20, 2021

What new laws will impact Texas students? Experts weigh in on what to watch as legislators wrap up work, Emily Donaldson, Dallas Morning News, May 19, 2021

Joint Letter to Public Education Committee opposing House Bill 759, March 16, 2021

Ensuring a Safe, Transparent, Participatory and Robust Legislative Session – Letter from 72 Texas Groups, December 9, 2020

Texas Education CAFE Advocacy Network

Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition (TLEEC)

Communicating Effectively 

Knowledge is Power is IDRA’s national resource for educators and advocates to help you do your work for equity and excellence in education in the midst of classroom censorship policies.

Students Tell Texas Attorney General that Racial Discrimination in School is Real – IDRA Applauds Students Speaking Out Against Texas’ New Classroom Censorship Law (Español), September 29, 2021

88 public school students described their experiences with racial discrimination in school

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