This article needs additional citations for verification .(September 2010) |
The main offices of the Texas Education Agency are located in the William B. Travis State Office Building in Downtown Austin. | |
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1949 |
Jurisdiction | Texas |
Headquarters | 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas |
Agency executives |
|
Website | tea |
This article is part of a series on |
Education in the United States |
---|
Summary |
Curriculum topics |
Education policy issues |
Levels of education |
Educationportal United Statesportal |
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States. [1] The agency is headquartered in the William B. Travis State Office Building in downtown Austin. [1] [2] Mike Morath, formerly a member of the Dallas Independent School District's board of trustees, was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015, and began serving on January 4, 2016. [3]
Prior to the late 1940s, many school districts in Texas did not operate schools but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In the late 1940s, state lawmakers passed a bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation. [4]
TEA is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas, involving over 1,000 individual school districts in the state and charter schools. It is also responsible for the safety of students. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over private or parochial schools (whether or not accredited) nor over home schools.
Although school districts are independent governmental entities, TEA has the authority to oversee a district's operations (either involving an individual school or the entire district) if serious issues arise (such as poor standardized test performance, financial distress, or mismanagement). This can be in the form of requiring the district to submit corrective action plans and regular status reports, assigning monitors to oversee operations (including the authority to assign a management board, which essentially replaces and performs the duties of the elected school board), and in extreme cases closure of a school campus or even the entire school district.
The University Interscholastic League (UIL), which oversees academic and athletic interscholastic competition in Texas public schools, is a separate entity not under TEA oversight.
In addition to primary and secondary education, TEA has oversight duties with respect to driver's education courses (initial permits) and defensive driving courses (used to have a ticket dismissed and/or for lower insurance premiums).
On November 7, 2007, Christine Comer resigned as the director of the science curriculum after more than nine years. Comer said that her resignation was a result of pressure from officials who claimed that she had given the appearance of criticizing the teaching of intelligent design. [5] [6]
In 2009, the board received criticism from more than 50 scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken science standards on evolution. [7]
In October 2012, The Revisionaries , a documentary film about the re-election of the chairman of the Texas Board of Education Don McLeroy and the curriculum controversy, was released. [8] In late January 2013, PBS's Independent Lens aired an abridged version the film.
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, Texas said that the government should "take a look" at the structure of the board and consider a nonpartisan or appointed board if the elected members are "not getting their job done and they're not pleasing the Legislature or the citizens, then we ought to take) a thorough look at what they are doing." [9] In 2010, Al Jezeera stated that it was "drafting its own version of American history", including altering school textbooks to remove what it said was a "left-leaning bias" and making changes that are said to have "religious and racial overtones". [10]
A series of reports in 2016 by the Houston Chronicle found that since at least 2004, TEA denied special education services to thousands of students, prompting a federal investigation. [11] [12] State education officials set an arbitrary limit of 8.5% for the number of students who could receive special education services. By strictly enforcing district compliance with the benchmark, the rate of students receiving special education in Texas fell to 8.5% in 2015, far below the national average of 13%. [12] School districts implemented a wide range of practices to reduce the number of students, including cutting services for certain children with autism and dyslexia, refusing to conduct eligibility evaluations in other languages, and refusing to accept medical records from other countries. [13] [14] Students who are English Language Learners (ELL) also faced a disproportionate impact resulting in a 20% difference in the rate of ELL students getting special education services compared to native speakers. [14] In Houston ISD, the state's largest school district, after the 8.5% goal was met the standard was lowered to 8%. As a result, the district cut hundreds of special education positions, postponed diagnostic evaluations to second grade, and created a list of disqualifying factors that keep students from getting services. [15]
TEA issued a no-bid contract for $4.4 million to SPEDx in 2017 to analyze student records to assist with the overhaul of its special education practices. Advocates raised concerns about the lack of a competitive bidding process and the Georgia-based company's qualifications, and a former TEA special education director filed a federal complaint about TEA violating state procurement processes. [16]
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Education found that "Texas violated federal law by failing to ensure students with disabilities were properly evaluated and provided with an adequate public education." [11] A multi-year strategic plan was released in 2018. [17] In a grant application to the agency, TEA stated that they will not be able to ensure adequate services for special education students until June 2020. [18]
In September 2020, in the midst of several attempts to place Houston ISD under state control, [19] TEA investigators recommended a state-appointed conservator be selected to oversee the district. [20]
The current commissioner of education is Mike Morath. [21] A former member of the Dallas Independent School District's board of trustees, he was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015. [22]
The commissioner's role is to lead and manage the Texas Education Agency. The commissioner also co-ordinates efforts between state and federal agencies. [21] [23]
Commissioners of Education [24] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
# | Commissioner | Took office | Left office | Governor |
1 | J. W. Egdar | March 1950 | June 30, 1974 | Allan Shivers (1950–1957) Price Daniel (1957–1963) John Connally (1963–1969) Preston Smith (1963–1973) Dolph Briscoe (1973/1974) |
2 | M. L. Brockette | July 1, 1974 | August 31, 1979 | Dolph Briscoe (1974–1979) Bill Clements (1979) |
3 | Alton O. Bowen | September 1, 1979 | May 31, 1981 | Bill Clements (1979–1981) |
4 | Raymon L. Bynum | June 1, 1981 | October 31, 1984 | Bill Clements (1981–1983) Mark White (1984) |
5 | William N Kirby | Interim November 1, 1984 – April 12, 1985 | Mark White (1984–1987) Bill Clements (1987–1991) Ann Richards (Jan 1991) | |
November 1, 1984 | January 31, 1991 | |||
- | Tom Anderson (Interim) | February 1, 1991 | June 30, 1991 | Ann Richards |
6 | Lionel Meno | July 1, 1991 | March 1, 1995 | Ann Richards (1991–1995) George W. Bush (Feb-Mar 1995) |
7 | Michael Moses | March 9, 1995 | September 3, 1999 | George W. Bush |
8 | James Nelson | September 9, 1999 | March 31, 2002 | George W. Bush (1999–2000) Rick Perry (2000–2002) |
9 | Felipe T. Alanis | April 1, 2002 | July 31, 2003 | Rick Perry |
- | Robert Scott (Interim) (1/2) | August 1, 2003 | January 12, 2004 | |
10 | Shirley J. Neeley | January 13, 2004 | July 1, 2007 | |
11 | Robert Scott (2/2) | Interim July 2, 2007 – October 15, 2007 | ||
July 2, 2007 | July 2, 2012 | |||
- | Todd Webster (Acting) | July 3, 2012 | August 31, 2012 | |
12 | Michael Williams | September 1, 2012 | December 31, 2015 | Rick Perry (2012–2015) Greg Abbott (2015) |
13 | Mike Morath | January 1, 2016 | Incumbent | Greg Abbott |
TEA is overseen by a 15-member State Board of Education (SBOE) elected from single-member districts. [25]
There are no term limits. Terms are four years in length, with one two-year term each decade. Similar to the arrangement of the Texas Senate, SBOE members are divided into two groups based in part on the intervening Census:
As such, every two years, about half of the SBOE is on the ballot.
The board devises policies and sets academic standards for Texas public schools, and oversees the state Permanent School Fund and selects textbooks to be used in Texas schools. [26]
Since 2011, the board can still recommend textbooks, but public school districts can order their own books and materials even if their selections are not on the state-approved list. So far, most districts have continued to follow the state-endorsed textbooks, but that trend is expected to change in the next two years as the districts become more cognizant of their available options.[ citation needed ] Thomas Ratliff, a moderate Republican and the son of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant, in 2010 unseated the Bryan dentist Don McLeroy, a former education board chairman who was the leader of the conservative bloc. Ratliff said in 2013 that the board is "far different" in political complexion that it was in 2010. In 2022, the GOP captured an additional seat, bringing their total to 10 of the 15-member board. Many are social conservatives, campaigning against critical race theory and gender identity lessons. [27]
District | Name | Party | Hometown | First elected | Seat up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Melissa Ortega | Dem | El Paso | 2022 | 2024 |
2 | L.J. Francis | Rep | Corpus Christi | 2022 | 2026 |
3 | Marisa Perez-Diaz | Dem | San Antonio | 2012 | 2024 |
4 | Staci Childs | Dem | Houston | 2022 | 2024 |
5 | Rebecca Bell-Metereau | Dem | San Marcos | 2020 | 2026 |
6 | Will Hickman | Rep | Houston | 2020 | 2026 |
7 | Julie Pickren | Rep | Pearland | 2022 | 2026 |
8 | Audrey Young | Rep | Trinity | 2020 | 2026 |
9 | Keven Ellis, Chair | Rep | Lufkin | 2016 | 2026 |
10 | Tom Maynard | Rep | Florence | 2012 | 2024 |
11 | Patricia Hardy, Secretary | Rep | Fort Worth | 2002 | 2024 |
12 | Pam Little, Vice Chair | Rep | Fairview | 2018 | 2024 |
13 | Aicha Davis | Dem | Dallas | 2018 | 2026 |
14 | Evelyn Brooks | Rep | Frisco | 2022 | 2026 |
15 | Aaron Kinsey | Rep | Midland | 2022 | 2024 |
To serve the large number of individual school districts and charter schools in Texas, TEA is divided into 20 regions, each containing an Education Service Center (ESC, sometimes called regional service center or regional education service center).
Under Chapter 8 of the Texas Education Code, ESCs perform the following tasks on behalf of TEA: [28]
The assistance applies to both districts and schools, including charter schools. Notably, the ESCs have no regulatory authority over districts or schools (TEA headquarters reserves this right to itself).
ESCs are not political units, and as such have no taxing authority. They are funded by state and federal funding, as well as by contracts made with individual districts and schools.
TEA rates schools and districts using the same four criteria. According to the TEA, the number of state schools and districts receiving the top ratings of "exemplary" and "recognized" increased from 2,213 in 2005 to 3,380 in 2006. [29] In 2020, all schools were given a "not rated" designator due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the state ranking, districts and schools can be awarded additional commendations (referred to as Gold Performance acknowledgements) for other noteworthy accomplishments not included in the ranking system.
The Texas Education Agency is funded by the people of the State of Texas, at the direction of their elected legislature and with the consent of the Governor of Texas. The agency's budget must be approved on the legislature's biannual schedule. Revenues for the agency come from the state general fund (primarily sales taxes), the federal government, the Permanent School Fund (a sovereign wealth fund created by the state with revenues from public lands), and other sources.
Year | Budget, for fiscal year ($) | % budget change over prior year | Enrollment (for school year ending) [30] | Enrollment % change over prior year | State funding per pupil |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | $33,338,021,662* [31] | 18% | - | - | |
2019 | $28,161,490,444 [31] | 2% | - | - | |
2018 | $27,698,128,088 [31] | 6% | 5,399,682 | 0.8 | $5,129.59 |
2017 | $26,186,545,591 [32] | -4% | 5,359,127 | 1.1 | $4,886.35 |
2016 | $27,381,560,474 [32] | 5% | 5,299,728 | 1.3 | $5,166.60 |
2015 | $26,112,248,988 [33] | 4% | 5,232,065 | 1.6 | $4,990.81 |
2014 | $25,136,102,615 [33] | - | 5,151,925 | 1.5 | $4,878.97 |
2013 | - | - | 5,075,840 | 1.5 | - |
2012 | - | - | 4,998,579 | 1.3 | - |
2011 | - | - | 4,933,617 | 1.8 | - |
2010 | - | - | 4,847,844 | 2.1 | - |
2009 | - | - | 4,749,571 | 1.7 | - |
2008 | - | - | 4,671,493 | 1.7 | - |
2007 | - | - | 4,594,942 | 1.6 | - |
2006 | - | - | 4,521,043 | 2.7 | - |
2005 | - | - | 4,400,644 | 1.7 | - |
2004 | - | - | 4,328,028 | 1.7 | - |
2003 | - | - | 4,255,821 | 2.3 | - |
2002 | - | - | 4,160,968 | 2.2 | - |
2001 | - | - | 4,071,433 | 1.7 | - |
2000 | - | - | 4,002,227 | 1.2 | - |
1999 | - | - | 3,954,434 | 1.4 | - |
1998 | - | - | 3,900,488 | 1.7 | - |
1997 | - | - | 3,837,096 | 1.0 | - |
1996 | - | - | 3,799,032 | 1.8 | - |
1995 | - | - | 3,730,544 | 1.6 | - |
1994 | - | - | 3,672,198 | 3.7 | - |
1993 | - | - | 3,541,771 | 2.4 | - |
1992 | - | - | 3,460,378 | 2.4 | - |
1991 | - | - | 3,378,318 | 1.9 | - |
1990 | - | - | 3,316,785 | 1.4 | - |
1989 | - | - | 3,271,509 | 1.4 | - |
1988 | - | - | 3,224,916 | - | - |
* Budget figure is projection; all other years are actual expenditure as reported by TEA
After the Uvalde school shooting, [34] [35] Governor Greg Abbott instructed state school safety and education officials to conduct random assessments on access control in Texas public and charter schools. [36] In a letter dated June 1, 2022, Gov. Abbott emphasized the need to enhance and expand school safety measures in Texas following the Robb Elementary School tragedy. It highlights the efforts and trainings by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) and outlines specific actions for school districts to improve safety and security. These actions include reviewing and updating Emergency Operations Plans, training staff, conducting safety assessments, and ensuring compliance with state laws. The letter also mandates random inspections to test security measures and calls for legislative support to secure necessary resources. The overall goal is to instill a culture of constant vigilance and accountability across all Texas schools. [37]
A statutory addition from HB3 charged the agency with establishing the Office of School Safety and Security - a division consisting of individuals with substantial expertise and experience in school or law enforcement safety and security operations. The passage of this bill created Texas Education Code, Section. 37.1083 and 37.1084.
In a letter dated June 9, 2022, to Commissioner Morath, Governor Abbott emphasized the urgent need to prevent future tragedies like the one in Uvalde by enhancing school safety measures. Despite the comprehensive school safety and mental health legislation passed in 2019 and subsequent efforts, he stated that further actions were necessary before the next school year. Abbott called for the creation of a Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to coordinate efforts across various agencies and divisions, ensuring effective implementation of safety policies and best practices. This position was to report directly to the Commissioner and have a direct line to the Governor’s Office, enhancing communication and collaboration without duplicating existing work. Abbott underscored the collective responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students, educators, and staff. [38]
Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of John P. Scott as the new Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on October 3. This position was created following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde to ensure the implementation of school safety policies and best practices across Texas. Scott, who has an extensive background in security and intelligence, will report directly to Commissioner Mike Morath and have a direct line to the Governor’s Office. He will coordinate safety efforts among multiple state agencies and school districts. Governor Abbott has also outlined significant actions to support the Uvalde community and enhance school safety statewide, including financial investments, mental health services, and legislative initiatives. [39]
The mission of the Office of School Safety and Security is to build the capacity of the regional education service centers (ESCs) and local education agencies (LEAs) to promote the physical and psychological well-being of students and staff - recognizing that safer schools positively impact student outcomes. We align school safety and security expertise with guidance provided through technical assistance to ensure effective best practices are implemented across the state. The Office of School Safety and Security is divided in the monitoring and technical assistance division and the school readiness division.
Dan Goeb Patrick is an American radio talk show host, television broadcaster, and politician. He has been serving as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Texas since January 2015, under Governor Greg Abbott.
San Antonio Independent School District is a school district based in San Antonio, Texas, United States.
Edgewood Independent School District is a public school district based in San Antonio, in Bexar County, Texas (USA).
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (UCISD) is a public school district based in Uvalde, Texas, US. Located in Uvalde County, the district extends into portions of Zavala and Real counties. In addition to Uvalde, the district serves the communities of Batesville in Zavala County, and Uvalde Estates in Uvalde County. The total land area of the district is 1,093 square miles (2,830 km2).
Snyder Independent School District (SISD) is a K–12 public school district in Snyder, Texas. As of 2017, the district comprises four schools, serving a total of 2,558 students. The demographic makeup of Snyder ISD reflects many backgrounds with a minority enrollment accounting for 70% of the student body. Snyder ISD has challenges faced by some of its students, with 49.6% identified as economically disadvantaged. It is located in Scurry County, Texas. the district serves students from Kent and Mitchell counties, as well as students from Hermleigh, Ira, and Roby.
Shepherd Independent School District is a public school district based in Shepherd, Texas (USA).
La Marque Independent School District (LMISD) was a public school district based in La Marque, Texas, in the Houston metropolitan area. In addition to much of La Marque, the district served Bayou Vista, Tiki Island, and portions of Texas City. As of July 1, 2016 it consolidated into the Texas City Independent School District (TCISD).
Texas has over 1,000 public school districts—all but one of the school districts in Texas are independent, separate from any form of municipal or county government. School districts may cross city and county boundaries. Independent school districts have the power to tax their residents and to assert eminent domain over privately owned property. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees these districts, providing supplemental funding, but its jurisdiction is limited mostly to intervening in poorly performing districts.
The 2014 general election was held in the U.S. state of Texas on November 4, 2014. All of Texas's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Texas's thirty-six seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on March 4, 2014. Primary runoffs, required if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, were held on May 27, 2014. Elections were also held for the Texas legislature and proposition 1, seeking funds for Texas highways.
Daniel G. Huberty is an American businessman, who was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 127 in Harris County from 2011 to 2023.
Airick Journey Crabill is an American education reform advocate and public speaker on education reform. He currently serves as the director of governance at the Council of the Great City Schools. Prior to this position, he was Texas Education Agency's Deputy Commissioner for Governance. Crabill served eight years (2008–2016) on the board of the Kansas City Public Schools, serving as president for a majority of his tenure. He is the author of the 2023 book Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective.
Mike Morath is an American software developer and investor. He is the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. Prior to joining the agency, he served as a trustee for the Dallas Independent School District, where he advocated for school reform and home-rule. Morath began his career in the technology sector.
In May 2019 significant property tax reform bills passed the Texas Legislature, promising property tax relief and higher funding for schools. Senate Bill 2 tackles property tax issues, and House Bill 3 directly deals with school finance reform. House Bill 3 raised the amount per student each district is allotted from $5,140 to $6,030, and also reduces school property tax rates by about four percent per $100 in property value. House Bill 1 is the overall budget for Texas. The tax reduction was achieved by allocating $6.6 billion from the rainy-day fund, leaving an estimated $8.4 billion in two years. In these three bills, the 86th Legislature of Texas increased school funding as well as lowering the burden on property owners.
Donna Bahorich is a member of the Texas Historical Commission and a former member of the Texas State Board of Education (TXSBOE), serving as Chair from June 2015 - September 2019. She was elected to the 15-member TXSBOE board in 2012 and 2016.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Texas is a part of the ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The state of Texas confirmed its first case on February 13, 2020, among U.S. nationals evacuated from China to Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland beginning in early February; however, retrospective analyses have suggested a much earlier origin than previously thought. The first documented case of COVID-19 in Texas outside of evacuees at Lackland was confirmed on March 4 in Fort Bend County, and many of the state's largest cities recorded their first cases throughout March. The state recorded its first death associated with the disease on March 17 in Matagorda County.
The following is a timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas.
The Uvalde school shooting was a mass shooting on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, United States, where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a former student at the school, fatally shot 19 students and 2 teachers, while injuring 17 others.
The Houston Independent School District takeover is a 2023 takeover of the state's largest school district by the Texas Education Agency, replacing the superintendent and elected board of trustees with a board of managers and a new superintendent appointed by the Texas commissioner of education.
The following is a list of events of the year 2024 in Texas. Texas is estimated to have a population of roughly 31,000,000 in 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)