Texas lawmaker files bill to abolish the Texas Education Agency
Following the federal government's potential overhaul of the U.S. Department of Education, a Texas lawmaker is seeking to eliminate the Texas Education Agency, responsible for overseeing public education in the state, and redistribute its authority to the State Board of Education, a 15-member elected body that sets policies and standards for Texas public schools.
State Rep. Andy Hopper, R-District 64, filed HB 2657 to abolish the TEA and "the elimination of public school accountability and assessment systems," like ending the STAAR test.
Hopper claims Texas students are burdened by "onerous" state and federal regulations and have fallen "behind their counterparts" for many years under the purview of the TEA.
"President Trump has called upon every level of government to eliminate inefficiencies and waste. In Texas, there is perhaps no other agency that exemplifies rampant, unaccountable bureaucracy and bloat more than the Texas Education Agency," Hopper said in a statement.
Under the bill, the TEA's powers, duties, and oversight responsibilities would transfer to the State Board of Education, whose members are elected. Public school finance and fiscal management would be transferred to the Comptroller.
If the bill passes, the TEA will be dissolved and its responsibilities fully transferred by Dec. 1.
CBS News Texas has reached out to the Texas State Teachers Association for comment and is waiting for a response.
Public school finance
In the current legislation session, lawmakers are poised to implement Gov. Greg Abbott's school choice bill, which passed in the Senate last week.
Under the proposal, students would receive $2,000 a year. If they enroll at an accredited private school, they will get $10,000 a year. Students with disabilities will receive $11,500 each year. Republicans say the students will be given preference are those with disabilities and those from low-income families, but that it would be open to all students.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath opposes a proposal to change how public schools are funded. Some lawmakers want the state to pay for schools based on how many students are enrolled in a district, instead of daily attendance, which is current policy. Under this scenario, school districts would get more money than now because when students are absent from school, the districts would still get paid.
In a Nov. interview with CBS New Texas' Eye on Politics reporter Jack Fink, Morath said he believes changing state policy would hurt students and said funding for school districts in Texas is at an all-time high.
However, some school districts, including several in North Texas, have experienced budget problems. Morath said that's because the districts received extra money from the federal government during COVID and that now, that federal funding has gone away. Some districts said they counted on more funding from the state but didn't receive it. Many school districts are also facing budget issues due to declining enrollment.
Hopper contends with HB 2657 that simplifying oversight and eliminating administrative inefficiencies will allow for more effective budgeting of resources to classrooms, teachers, and students. It also purports great accountability through the comptroller.
"Texans pour billions into this state agency with the expectation that it will somehow improve education, but have been consistently and profoundly disappointed in the results," Hopper said in a statement. "With the filing of [HB] 2657, I would like to start the process of addressing the systemic issues with public education in Texas by abolishing a largely useless state bureaucracy."
The Texas Education Agency and the State Board of Education
The Texas State Board of Education is the policy-making body of the Texas Education Agency, which coordinates all public educational activities and services except those of colleges and universities. The SBOE has overseen the TEA since they were both created in 1949 under the Gilmer-Aikin laws.
The TEA is responsible for over 1,200 independent school districts and many charter schools.
The TEA has seen several sweeping reforms since its creation. In 1984, the Texas Legislature passed what is commonly known as House Bill 72. The bill gave teachers a pay raise, revamped public school finance to funnel more money to property-poor school districts, and took steps to prioritize student academic achievement, like "no pass, no play."
In 1993, the Texas Legislature passed legislation intent on leveling the funding field for Texas schools, between those termed "property-poor" and "wealthy" school districts. According to the TEA, Senate Bill 7 was passed "to ensure that none of Texas' school districts had more than a set amount of property wealth per student." It also created "No Child Left Behind," the system that measures and holds schools and districts accountable for student performance on assessment tests and dropout rates.
Another major reform happened in 1995 with the complete overhaul of the Texas Education Code. Senate Bill 1 stripped several state-mandated rules and gave more authority to local school districts. It also gave the SBOE the authority to grant open-enrollment charter schools and established the separate State Board for Educator Certification. Today, Texas has about 185 operating charter schools that only have to comply with minimum provisions of the education code, but operate with state funds and provide alternative methods of instruction, according to TEA.
